Revenge Is Complicated
by skarletfyre
Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Tegan's back for her boyfriend, though later than expected, and with a very unexpected little helper. Of course, these things are never easy, what with all the evil plots and such. TRILOGY IN PROGRESS!
1. Welcome to the Present

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition. XD

A/N: This is my attempted sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' DO NOT READ THIS WITHOUT READING IT FIRST, OR NOTHING WILL MAKE THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF SENSE! Also, for those who wonder, the names are pronounced 'TEE-gan' and 'EE-vee.'

* * *

Tegan liked Spain.

The language was easy and the people were nice, and it was easy to get by in her situation. She took a deep drag on her cigarette and looked out over the city of Barcelona, the tower-studded skyline ablaze with fiery clouds as the sun set. A light breeze blew a few loose strands of hair into her face, but she didn't bother to brush them aside. She exhaled, the smoke wafting away and to the left.

She'd only come to this place about three years ago. Before then, she'd just been drifting from one place to another, never staying too long for fear of being recognized. She didn't really have to worry about that, though.

She'd changed in the past seven years. Now twenty-six years old, she'd outgrown her angry scarlet hair and had simply let the dye wash out and fade away. She stood out less with her natural copper hair, but still made a striking first impression. The tattoos were still there, and she'd even added some new ones. She still retained her pension for sleeveless shirts and dresses, making her quite the head-turned as she walked down the crowded streets. She had toned down the make-up considerably, opting for light mascara and chap-stick in favor of raccoon eyes and black lipstick. She didn't look anything like the missing persons add pictures of herself she still occasionally saw on signs over drinking fountains. She sometimes drew moustaches on them.

She stamped out her cigarette on the balcony railing and folded her long legs back over the edge from where they'd been dangling, sighing slightly. It had been a very long day for her. A long week, in fact. She turned and headed back inside.

She glanced over at the back of the couch, the top of a head just visible over it. The TV was blaring, but she didn't mind. It was tuned to Discovery Channel.

"What do you want for dinner, Evie?" she asked in the general direction of the sofa. She was responded to with a grunt and the volume being turned up. Tegan smirked. Chef Boyardee it was.

A lot had happened in the seven years since she'd fled Washington. She'd gained weight, for one thing, as well as muscle. She was still lean, just rounder around the edges and could deliver a punch with enough force behind it to drop a 200 pound man to the ground. She knew, because she'd done it twice. She'd grown her hair out, too, letting it dangle to her middle back when down. It was loosely braided now, and hung limply between her shoulder blades. It suited her features better than the choppy, blood-red mop she'd had before, and showed off her eyes.

And then there was Evie.

Evelyn Penelope Callahan was born in India on June 17th in the middle of a thunderstorm that shook the very foundations of the small hospital she entered the world into. Her first breath had been expelled into a gut-wrenching cry of life, and didn't stop until she was placed into her mother's waiting, albeit shaking arms. The two had stared at each other for the longest moment imaginable, and then Evie had yawned widely, curled up, and fallen asleep.

Tegan smiled fondly, remembering the memory, and glanced back over at the back of the couch.

"We're having ravioli again, Eve. It'll be ready in about 10 minutes. Say goodbye to the spider monkeys and go get washed up."

There was a disappointed groan, but the TV was switched off and the little girl hopped off the couch and walked around it, lstaring at her mother with a look of indignation.

"They weren't spider monkeys," she said, placing her hands on her hips. "They were sugar gliders and they are adorable and I want one."

Tegan laughed and stirred the ravioli.

"I'll look into it, babe. Go wash your hands and maybe we can talk about it over dinner."

"Yeah, right," Evie said, slouching off towards the bathroom. Tegan smirked and made a mental note to monitor the TV guide for any shows about cute and/or fluffy exotic animals. After the disastrous rabbit affair, there was no way she was getting another pet. She'd had enough trouble with a goldfish.

She stopped stirring and bit her lip, memories flooding her mind of her shabby little apartment in Parkland. She wondered what became of Frodo the goldfish, along with the rest of her possessions. When she'd left that night she'd only taken the bare essentials and left everything else behind. She hoped against hope that Chris had gotten there first and saw the stuff put to good use. She had fond memories of that place…

She snapped back to reality, not willing to go down that side-street on Memory Lane just then. It still hurt too much.

She cursed aloud and began stirring again. The ravioli had stuck a little, but nothing too serious that they couldn't be eaten.

"You owe me a nickel," Evie said, coming up from behind her to sit at the counter. "You swore," she said in response to her mother's quizzical expression. Understanding flitted through Tegan's grey eyes. She fished through her pockets for a coin.

"Sorry, babe, I'm all out. I'll pay you back later, though. Did you wash your hands?"

"What do you think I was doing back there for three minutes?" Evie snarked, her dark brown eyes flashing with laughter. Tegan glared at her half-heartedly.

"With soap?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Evie made a face.

"If I didn't use soap, then it wouldn't be washing. Yes, I used soap, mother. Smell my hands."

Evie stuck her hands out, palms up for the sniff-test. Tegan shook her head, smiling despite herself.

"Nah, I believe you. What shall we have for dessert?"

"We haven't even had dinner yet! Gosh, aren't you supposed to be scolding_ me_ about these things?"

Tegan laughed, looking over at her sarcastic seven year old with a fond grin.

"Yeah, I suppose. Then again, we could be one of those families that never has dessert _ever_ and just eats healthy food like spinach and broccoli and Brussels sprouts and-"

"Ewww! Alright, I vote for crème brûlée for dessert."

"What? Babe, that'll take hours to chill. It'll be bedtime before it's ready to eat."

"Not if you cook it with magic," Evie said, her eyes sparkling. Tegan let the spoon rest inside the pan and turned around, eyebrow raised and hands on her hips.

"Evelyn," she began, using the dreaded first name, "we've been over this. I don't use magic for stuff like cooking because it can get out of hand and cause disturbances, which normal people tend to notice. We have to be careful. No-"

"No shortcuts, yeah I know," the girl said, cutting her off and pouting slightly. "But what's the point of having magic if you're not going to use it?" she asked earnestly, searching her mother's young face. Tegan gave her a stern look over the top of her glasses.

"I don't have to explain my reasons to you, young lady. You'll find out in good time, but not a moment before then, understand? Now… How hungry are you are?"

"Medium hungry," Evie said, looking put out. Tegan felt a little bad for taking a harsh tone with her, but she was still too young to understand. She wasn't going to take away her childhood. Not just yet.

Tegan sighed slightly to herself and dished up a little more than half a plate of ravioli, sliding it across the counter to Evie. She scooped some up for herself and fished some forks out of the drawer, then walked around the counter and sat down. Mother and daughter ate in comfortable silence.

* * *

As Tegan lay in bed that night, she couldn't help thinking back on the past and how she had ended up in this situation.

The vow she'd made that night so many years ago still bound her to her quest, and she had a feeling it would keep her from aging if she didn't complete it in a timely manner.

When she'd run off that night, she'd had no idea she was pregnant. That changed everything. Her original plans were to lie low for a month or two, then sneak in under Balthazar's radar and steal the Grimhold back. She'd had to reconsider when Evelyn came along.

With a shock of orange hair and the darkest eyes the nurses had ever seen, Evie was the perfect mix of her mother and father. She inherited her mother's nose, hair, and slender bone structure, but she had her father's eyes, lips, and height. The girl was only seven and already the top of her head met Tegan's shoulders. Evie had shot up like beanpole and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. Tegan had given up on buying her new clothes and now simply went to bargain shops or handed down her own things.

Tegan rolled over in the enormous king-sized bed and was disappointed, not for the first time, that she was the only one in it.

If it weren't for Evie, Horvath would probably be lying next to her. Or she would be lying in the ground, having died in her attempts to free him from that blasted doll. She balled her fists and curled her arms tightly around her pillow, hating Balthazar Blake and Veronica and the Prime Merlinian. She hated them from taking him from her, away from Evie, and for making her do it all by herself. It had been unimaginably difficult to raise a child on her own at the age of nineteen, on the run no less. If she hadn't had magic, she probably would have died long ago.

Lying in that hospital in India, cradling her baby daughter in her arms with tears pouring down her face, she promised herself that she would never expose this perfect little creature to anything magical or dangerous until she received a sign that the time was right. Evie was all she had, and she wasn't going to compromise her for the world.

Horvath would just have to wait a bit longer than expected.

Tegan bit her lip and blinked rapidly, wanting for the thousandth time for him to just open the door, walk over, wrap his arms around her and tell her that everything was going to be okay.

It would be a total bullshit lie, but it'd still be nice to hear _him_ say it.

A memory of the week before flashed into Tegan's mind, of sitting with Evie on the couch and working on her book report. Evie was home schooled, of course, but that didn't stop Tegan from giving her 'homework'.

Evie had turned to her out of the blue, and asked why she didn't have a dad.

Tegan had been caught off guard. Evie had never said anything about fathers before, or ever shown any indication that she wanted one. She'd always been content with it just being her and Tegan, so Tegan was completely unprepared on the subject. She stuttered and spluttered and gave some story about her dad being away somewhere and unable to come home. She made it clear that he was alive, just not there. Evie asked if it had anything to do with magic. Tegan hesitated only a moment before saying yes. Evie had simply nodded in understanding and gone back to what she was writing. Tegan was in shock.

She knew she'd have to tell Evie soon. But telling her would doubtless mean she'd have to go and fulfill her quest. She wanted to, of course, but she didn't want to put Evie in any danger. She'd thought, more than once, of training Evie to fight and use her magic, but had talked herself out of it each time. But as time ticked on, Tegan knew that she'd have to learn sometime, and it would be easier at a young age. Just… not this young…

Tegan rolled over fitfully and clicked off the lamp, too tired and too stressed to think about this now. She'd deal with it in the morning, after she'd had breakfast and some coffee. And a cigarette. God, she needed a cigarette before she even started having this conversation with herself…

The song 'One Less Bell To Answer' was forcefully and unhelpfully shoved into her head. She sighed in frustration and buried her face in the pillow, yanking the blankets up over her head and drifting restlessly to sleep.


	2. Working It out

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: Yes, I totally quoted directly from the movie. However, if one were to look directly above this statement, you would see that I have a handy little disclaimer, freeing me from all responsibility. Reviews please! I will love you forever!

* * *

Tegan was awoken by the unpleasant sensation of a fork being repeatedly jabbed into her forehead.

She blearily opened her eyes, met with the blurry figure of a little girl standing by the side of her bed, fork in hand, a solemn expression on her face. Tegan pushed herself up onto her elbows and rubbed her eyes, taking a moment to yawn. She looked back at her daughter, eyebrow raised.

"Is there something I can do for you, Evelyn?"

The girl made a face but didn't lower the fork.

"The crème brûlée is ready," she announced. "And I would like to have it for breakfast."

Tegan stared at her for a moment, then groaned and fell forward, nuzzling her face into the pillow. Evie poked her in the temple. She mumbled something unintelligible.

"What's that mother? I _can_ have crème brûlée for breakfast this morning? Why thank you mother! I do love you so-"

"Evelyn, please stop talking. Mommy has a bad case of the blues. Eat all the sweets that you want, but please let me sleep at least until noon."

Evie stopped and looked at her mother. She knew immediately that this wasn't a game. Her mom, if in her right mind, would never _ever_ tell her to eat sweets for breakfast without a very good reason for it, like a birthday or something. Evie was an incredibly bright girl, and mature beyond her years. She was able to pick up on body language and social cues, and the ones her mother was exhibiting clearly stated 'something is wrong.'

She set the fork down on the bedside table and hopped up into the bed, climbing over Tegan and sitting on the other side of her, criss-cross-applesauce. Tegan rolled over and hugged the pillow, staring with one exposed eye at her seven-going-on-seventeen-year-old. Evie stared back, tilting her head to the side consideringly.

"What's going on in your head, mom? I can never tell."

Tegan smiled slightly into the pillow, then reached a hand and pulled Evie over into her arms, holding her tightly and stroking her hair. She hugged her and took a deep breath.

"Remember the other day, when you asked me about your father?"

Evie tensed slightly, holding her breath. She nodded, not quite sure where this conversation was going. Tegan took another deep, shuddering breath and launched into the explanation she'd been preparing in her sleep.

She told Evie about being the Prime Morganian and the expectations that came along with it. She told her about how she'd met Horvath outside the bar and thought he was a crazy old creeper, and how he'd broken in and cleaned her apartment and fed her fish and generally scared the shit out of her- she apologized for her language and promised to cough up another quarter -and how she'd threatened to Taser him only to be made fool of. She explained, with quite a bit less detail, how their relationship had changed from simply apprentice and master to something more, and what the implications of that were.

Evie interrupted only occasionally, asking for clarification on certain things, but otherwise remained silent. She was scared that if her mother stopped for too long she wouldn't be able to keep going. She was getting all the answers to the questions she'd been bottling up inside for the past few years, and she had no intention of ruining it.

Tegan then launched into what Evie considered more of a rant than an explanation about Balthazar Blake and the Prime Merlinian and how everything was ruined when they showed up and interrupted something called 'The Rising', which Evie decided to wait before asking for clarification on. Her mother was obviously upset, crushing her more than hugging her now. It hurt a little, but she didn't complain. Tegan continued on for some time, talking about something call the 'Grimhold' and how Balthazar trapped Horvath inside it and now probably had him stuck on a shelf for decoration somewhere. The last bit didn't make the slightest bit of sense to Evie, but she remained quiet.

Evie listened carefully as Tegan went on about her father, the man called Maxim Horvath whom she had never met or heard of until about fifteen minutes ago. He didn't sound like a very nice person, wanting to resurrect Morgana and enslave mankind, but who was she to judge? She was seven. Nearly eight, but still only seven. Her mother said he was a good man and Evie believed her.

After talking for nearly twenty minutes straight, Tegan finally took a break. Evie lay silently in her arms, having been intently listening to every word that came out of Tegan's mouth. Tegan wasn't sure if she'd said too much and frightened the girl, but she realized that these things had been building up inside of her, waiting to be let out and told at the right time. She reached up and wiped her eyes, taking another deep breath.

"Hey Evie?"

"Yeah?"

"How'd you like to start learning some magic?"

Evie rolled over and stared up at her mother in excitement, hardly daring to believe her ears.

"Seriously? I mean, you're not joking this time?"

Tegan chuckled, laying a gentle kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"Yes, I mean it this time. Your birthdays coming up soon, why don't we start then?"

"But that's weeks away!" Evie whined, her eyes pleading. Tegan smirked.

"Yeah, but it'll give you something to look forward to! And give me some time to prepare myself for you and your antics."

"But, mooommm…."

"No 'buts'," Tegan said faux-sternly. "I don't want anything to do with your butt. Now, I believe you came in here saying something about crème brûlée for breakfast. I find this to be an excellent idea, and suggest we retire to the kitchen immediately to act upon it. Sound good to you, babe?"

"Agreed!" Evie yelled, squirming out of Tegan's arms and launching over her, racing out of the bedroom towards the kitchen. Tegan moved considerably slower, fumbling around on the bedside table for her glasses. Her eyesight had gotten progressively worse over the past few years, for which she blamed her father who'd gone nearly blind at age thirty. An age that she was fast approaching. She groaned slightly, hauling herself out of her bed and trudged into the kitchen where Evie was already busy dishing up two enormous bowls of un-charred crème brûlée. She set them on the counter and began digging around in the cupboards for powdered sugar and cinnamon. Tegan approached the counter and leaned up against it. Evie found the ingredients she was searching for and set them down on the counter. She sprinkled regular sugar liberally over the tops of the creamy concoctions, then looked hopefully at her mother with those wide, puppy-dog brown eyes. Tegan rolled her eyes and smirked, pulling the bowls towards her with a flick of her wrist. They slid across the counter magically. Evie grinned.

"Pre-lesson 101," Tegan said to Evie, looking at her sternly over the top of her glasses. "What causes molecules to heat up?"

"They vibrate," Evie said without hesitation. She watched Discovery Channel for three hours a day as 'homework' and was reading high-school level textbooks. Of course she knew what made molecules heat up. Tegan nodded appreciatively.

"Correct. Everything around us is in a constant state of vibration, thus creating the illusion of solidity. So, how do we make molecules vibrate faster and heat up?"

"Um…"

"We _will_ them to," Tegan said, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. "Step one: clear your mind."

She made a big show of taking a deep breath and looking relaxed and blank-faced. Evie giggled.

"Step two: see the molecules."

Tegan stared intently at the two bowls on crème brûlée, narrowing her eyes slightly. She brought a hand up and rested it over them, fist closed. Evie licked her lips in anticipation.

"And step three… Make them vibrate!"

Tegan snapped her hand open. The crème brûlée immediately burst into flames, the sugar on top bubbling and melting into a gooey shell. Evie leaned forward and blew out each of the fires, an excited grin on her childish face. She grabbed the powdered sugar and cinnamon and sprinkled a little on each bowl, then quickly grabbed two spoons from the drawer directly behind her. She handed one to Tegan and kept the other for herself, then pulled the larger of the two custard bowls over to her.

"Hey," Tegan said. Evie looked up sheepishly, expecting a scolding. Tegan just grinned and held out her bowl.

"Cheers?"

Evie grinned.

"Cheers, mom."

* * *

When Tegan threw herself into bed that night, she was thoroughly and completely exhausted.

They'd gone out shopping today, only intending to be gone for an hour or two at most. Needless to say, it did not work out that way.

Five and a half hours later, they had visited nearly every boutique and style-related store they'd passed. Tegan had three bags of groceries, handily miniaturized for convenience in her pockets, and the pair of them were having trouble carrying all the news clothes and shoes they'd bought. Staggering into their twelfth-story penthouse, the pair of them almost collapsed as soon as they crossed the threshold.

Seven bags of new cloths and three bags of shoes, plus three bags of groceries, made a total of thirteen bags, all of which had to be carted through the streets on foot and then hauled up a short flight of stairs and into the apartment. It was ridiculous. Tegan told Evie that she was never allowed to come shopping with her ever again.

Tegan smiled fondly, bringing her forearm up to rest on her forehead. All in all, it had been a pretty fantastic day. Her and Evie didn't spend as much time together as they used to. They both spent almost every day in the same house, sometimes in the same room, but conversation had dwindled. Evie was in love with her books and learning everything in the world that there was to learn, and Tegan was too busy monitoring her online 'business'.

When she'd left Washington, she didn't have a dollar to her name. She'd hitchhiked out of the state, then stowed away in the trunk of a car into Canada. When they'd gotten close to the border, Tegan had changed the air pressure in the tires with magic so the driver was forced to pullover. As he examined the tires, Tegan snuck out of the trunk, clocked him over the head and rolled him into a ditch, then high-jacked his car. She changed the license and car registration information and presented her fake ID and passport to the border check. They'd waved her in with a smile and a friendly nod. This marked Tegan's first excursion into a life of crime.

Over the next three weeks, she managed to set up base in an empty summer cabin and steal enough food, clothes, and money to get by in the winter. She lived there like a hermit until January, when the money and food ran out and she was forced to rejoin society.

One of the first things she'd done was steal a laptop with portable, prepaid wi-fi. This allowed her access to everything, everywhere. She'd always been fairly good with computers, but living by yourself for months at a time with nothing but spiders for company can drive a person to excel at things they might not otherwise excel at.

Tegan became a hacker.

Now, seven years later, she'd managed to hack into hundreds of thousands of major banks and wire-transfer small amounts of cash to her brand new Swedish bank account, under the name of Marcie Collins. She had over eight million dollars tucked away for emergency use, and currently had two-hundred thousand in her old suitcase in the closet. She had gone from being dirt-broke to a multi-millionaire almost over night. She felt accomplished with herself.

She never cleaned out the accounts. She'd find people who had entirely too much money tucked away and relieved them of a little of it. What she took was pocket-change to them. They probably just earned it back in interest as soon as she took it. She didn't lose sleep over any of it.

She sighed and removed her glasses, then rolled over onto her side and pulled the blankets up. She didn't bother changing into her night-cloths. She was too tired for that. Evie was fast asleep in the next room, having nodded off as soon as her little head hit the pillow. Tegan smiled slightly, mostly pleased with the way she'd raised her daughter. Of course if she had the chance, she'd go back and tweak a few things, but who wouldn't?

She snuggled deeper into the pillow and closed her eyes. She fell asleep within minutes.


	3. Birthdays and Foolishness

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: I have less of an idea of where I'm going with the sequel than I did with the original, but I'm sure I'll think of something. Hopefully. You'll know soon enough. Reviews are much appreciated and rewarded with cookies.

* * *

Two weeks passed at an alarming rate.

One moment she'd been eating breakfast with her seven year old, now her eight year old was jumping on her bed and shouting about cake for breakfast. Tegan rolled over and tugged the pillow onto her head. She squealed when Evie sat down and poked her forcefully in the ribs.

"Evelyn! No tickling!" she said, sitting up and tugging the blankets up. Evie just laughed and started bouncing again.

"Guess what today is, mom!" Tegan gave her an expectant, albeit slightly caustic stare. Evie didn't notice, such was her excitement "It's my birthday!" she shouted. "That means you have to give me cake for breakfast, buy me presents, and start teaching me magic! Remember? You promised, so that means you _have_ to!"

"I remember, Evie. Believe me, I remember. Ugh, what time is it?"

Tegan squinted over at the clock, then groaned and fell back into the pillows when it informed her that it was only 7:15. This child was going to be the death of her. She hauled herself into a sitting position and grabbed her glasses. She snatched Evie mid-bounce and dragged her into her arms.

"Wake me up this early, will you? And then tickle me to boot? I think not. No cake! We shall dine on porridge and liver patties!" she said dramatically, throwing in an exaggerated British accent. Evie made a face depicting utter revulsion.

"Ewww! But it's my birthday! I get to choose!"

Tegan cocked her head to the side and regarded the pouting child in her arms.

"Hmm, I suppose you do look older… Quite a bit older, too. Do mine eyes deceive me, or be that a grey hair I spot?"

She reached out and pretended to pluck a hair off Evie's head. The little girl squirmed and made a face and tried to look at the top of her head.

"You do not!" she half-shouted, reaching up and pulling several locks of hair down so she could see them better. She sorted through them and stared at them with such a look of intensity that Tegan couldn't help but laugh at her. Evie glared at her for a moment, then struggled out of her arms and onto the floor. She crossed her arms.

"Today, I have officially managed to survive in this cesspool called society for a grand total of eight years. I think this deserves some recognition, namely cake for breakfast. Do you dare deny me my birthright?"

Evie was glowering, looking very dramatic in her Batman footy-pajamas. Tegan swung her legs over the side of the bed and looked down at her entirely-too-grown-up little girl.

"Evie, what have I told you about watching the classic movie channel? You always get overdramatic and go all Braveheart when you talk. This has to stop. Otherwise, mommy is going to die laughing at you."

"Actually I was watching History Channel," Evie said, grinning brightly. Tegan rolled her eyes and hauled herself out of bed.

"Alrighty then, cake for breakfast. Are we having a party later?"

"Who would I invite?"

"How about Rafe?" she asked, referring to the little boy who lived on the third floor of their building.

Evie made a face and shook her head. Tegan dropped the subject. She felt a little twinge of guilt for not making Evie go to school like a normal child. It wasn't healthy for her to stay inside by herself all day. She needed friends her own age. However, Evie was stubbornly against it. She was like her father: she didn't like people very much. Especially not stupid ones.

When they reached the kitchen, Evie sat herself down at the counter and clasped her hands expectantly. Tegan yanked open the refrigerator door and rummaged around on the bottom shelf. She knew exactly what she was looking for and where it was, but she was putting on a show for Evie, who was growing more impatient by the second.

"Hmm, where did I put that darn pesky- Ah, here we are!" She straightened up, cradling a large, circular dish in her arms. It had a lid on it, so Evie couldn't see what was inside. She was practically bouncing in her seat with anticipation. Tegan set the dish in front of her.

"Happy birthday, babe," she said, whipping off the lid dramatically. Evie's eyes got wide.

Perched perfectly in the center of the chocolate mousse cake, with a large dark chocolate curl in the center of it, sat a golden ring. Evie stared at it for moment, then reached for it. She hesitated, looking up at Tegan. She nodded. Evie's hand darted out and grabbed it, holding it up to the light for better examination.

It was a toad. A small, expertly crafted golden toad, with two perfectly cut rubies for eyes. They glittered at her in the fluorescent lighting, dazzlingly. Evie took out the chocolate curl and ate it, then slipped the ring on her right middle finger and held out her hand, tilting her head to the side. Tegan watched her with amusement, resting her chin in her hand. Evie turned back to her after a moment, dark eyes sparkling with excitement. She rushed over and slammed into Tegan, hugging her tightly.

"Thank you so much, mommy!" She said, her voice slightly muffle by Tegan's arm. Tegan grinned and hugged her back.

"I thought you might like it," she said. "I bought it a few years ago when we went shopping in China. I think you're old enough for it now, and hopefully wise enough to use it properly."

She gave Evie a stern look over the tops of her glasses, but Evie just grinned and nodded back. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that her mother would take it away if she used it irresponsibly. She would treasure it and never abuse it's purpose, and told Tegan so. She nodded appreciatively.

"Good. Now, do you still want cake or not?"

Evie snapped back to reality, spinning back to face the counter expectantly. The ring still glittered on her finger as she folded her hands expectantly. Tegan rolled her eyes as she fished out a plate and some silverware. She cut out a rather large chunk of cake and plopped it ungracefully onto the plate, then sent it whooshing across the counter towards Evie. She caught it just in time and dug in.

* * *

When the cake was all gone and the dishes sat expectantly in the sink, Tegan told Evie to run along and get dressed, then get washed up. Evie shot up out of her chair like a bat out of Hell and ran to her room in a flash, much to Tegan's amusement. She moved slower, taking her time to saunter into her bedroom, shut the door, and stroll over to her massive walk-in closet and choose an outfit appropriate for teaching an eight year old magic.

Tegan stopped, resting her head on the closet door and closing her eyes.

Had it been eight years already? Had she really gone that long without him? While true that they'd only known each other for a little under three months, she'd grown attached to him in that time. Probably more attached than she should have, and probably more attached than he was to her. It was astonishing to think that in such a short time two people could have accomplished so much.

She wasn't in love with him. At least, she didn't think she was. She'd been in love before and this felt nothing like it. She desired him. She missed him. She wanted him. But she didn't know if she loved him. She did care about him, though, and the thought of him trapped in that godawful doll made her stomach churn. She took a deep breath and wrenched her closet door open, stepping inside.

She decided on a blue sundress with a floral pattern, a light yellow cardigan, and some black sandals. She tied her copper hair up in a loose bun and pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose before exiting her bedroom.

Evie was waiting for her on the sofa, tapping her foot impatiently. The little girl had chosen to wear a pair of jean Capri's and a purple tank top. Her kicking feet were clad in bright green converse.

"Jacket," Tegan said, nodding her head in the direction of the hall closet. Evie made a face.

"But it's so hot outside!"

"It'll probably be dark by the time we get back, and then you'll be cold and want _my_ jacket. Consider this a preventative measure. Hop to it, Small One!"

Evie made disgruntled noise and hopped off the couch, shuffling stubbornly over the closet and grabbing a light sweater. She shrugged it on grudgingly and stood by the door, pouting. Tegan grabbed her hand-bag and walked past Evie out the door without commenting. The little girl followed close behind her as they went down the steps to the elevator.

They were quite as they descended all twelve stairs, but Evie was fidgeting with excitement gain by the time they reached the ground. She fairly shot out of the elevator, and face first into some poor stranger.

"Oof!" said the stranger, staggering back slightly. Tegan used magic without thinking and pulled him upright. He didn't seem to notice. She sighed in relief.

"I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" she asked. Evie was bright red and now cowering behind Tegan. The stranger straightened up and nodded, holding his stomach slightly where Evie's elbow had rammed into him.

"Yes, I'm quite fine, thank you." Tegan noticed he had a pronounced Oxford accent. He dusted himself and looked at her fully for the first time. His eyes widened slightly. He stood up a little straighter. Tegan groaned inwardly.

"Your little sister seems quite eager to get where's she going," he comment, sending a smirk in Evie's direction. She did not return it. He looked back to Tegan. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes as the words left her mouth.

"Actually she's my daughter," she told him, earning the raised eyebrows she'd been expecting. He did a double take.

"Well, excuse me then. You don't look old enough to anyone's mother. I'm sorry, how rude of me. My name is Ian Lewis," he said, extending his hand. Tegan took it cautiously and shook. He had very soft hands, like he was unaccustomed to manual labour. She figured he was an exchange student. He confirmed it with his next statement.

"I'm a transfer from Oxford, you see, and I've just rented a flat on the fourth floor. Do you live here?"

"I own the top story penthouse," she told him, smiling sweetly. His eyes widened and he took a small step back. He quickly regained his composure.

"My, that's quite a lot of room. You and your husband must hardly see each other!"

He chuckled slightly to himself, but stopped when Tegan didn't laugh. He looked down awkwardly.

"I'm terribly sorry, I seem to be distracting you from getting to your destination. It was very nice to meet you Mrs.- erm,…"

"Callahan," she said. She didn't correct him on the 'Mrs.' thing, though. Otherwise he'd never leave. Regardless, his face brightened slightly.

"Mrs. Callahan, then. Good day."

He nodded his head slightly, first at her then at Evie, then made his way into the elevator. As soon as the doors shut, a positively devilish grin spread across the little girl's young face.

"He likes you," she stated simply. Tegan made a disparaging noise in the back of her throat and started walking again. Evie skipped along behind her, a cheeky smile plastered on her face. Tegan ignored her.

* * *

They walked for a good twenty minutes before coming to stand outside of a massive, dilapidated Brownstone. The shutters were hanging on their hinges, the door appeared to simply be resting against the doorframe, and several areas of brickwork had long, spidery cracks running through them. A bright sign on the front read in Spanish '_DO NOT ENTER! CONDEMNED!'_

Tegan smiled fondly at the place and proceeded to walk around the back of it, Evie hot on her heels.

When they made it around to the back of the house, having ducked through a rather sizable gap in the rotting fence, Tegan made beeline for a large pile of leaves up against the foundation of the house. She smiled.

"Evie, you might wanna step back a few feet," she said over her shoulder. The little girl looked up at her, then scooted back until she was almost against the neighboring house. She watched her mother with wide eyes. Tegan turned back to the pile of leaves.

She took a deep breath, taking a moment to clear her mind. Her hands curled into claws at her sides, the energy building. She slowly raised them in front of her, cradling an invisible force of energy between her two palms. She posed like she was throwing a baseball, then sent the ball of energy shooting forward into the heart of the leaf pile. They exploded out in all directions, some shooting back to where Evie was standing, watching in awe. When they'd cleared, a cellar door sat where they had been. Tegan turned around and grinned.

She could have just as easily swept them aside with a single wave of her hand, but she decided to go for the dramatic effect. It had worked. Evie was pressed flat back against the house neighboring them, a thunderstruck expression on her face. Tegan grinned back at her, then pointed at the cellar doors with one finger and made a beckoning motion. They flipped open sharply and left a gaping hole in the ground next to the house. Tegan stepped over to it, then turned back to Evie.

"Coming?"

Evie snapped her gaze from the now-open doors to her mother. She nodded frantically and pried herself away from the wall. She stepped over hesitantly, staring down at the pitch-black entrance with an apprehensive expression. She glanced up at Tegan.

"Is it that dark all the way down?" she asked timidly. Tegan smiled gently at her.

"Evie, there is no reason at all for you to be afraid of the dark. It cant hurt you. I promise."

"It's not the dark I'm scared of," she said softly. "It's what's _hiding_ in the dark that scares me."

Tegan chuckled slightly and placed an encouraging hand on Evie's back.

"Don't worry, babe. I already took care of the big old monster that used to live here. He should be limping to Hong Kong right about now. C'mon, the longer we stand out here the more attention we draw. In ya go!"

"Will you go first?"

Tegan sighed and rolled her eyes, a gesture Evie made entirely too often, and tromped down the stairs. Evie watched cautiously as she disappeared deeper into the dark, until she was completely swallowed by it. A spark of light flared up, illuminating the corridor a little more. Tegan smiled up at her.

"C'mon, Eve, there's nothing to be afraid of. If there was, I wouldn't have brought you here, would I?"

Evie still looked a little unsure, but she took a hesitant step forward nonetheless. When nothing came swarming out of the dark to grab her, she took another, and then another. She reached the bottom of the stairs and stood next to her mother, gazing around at the cavernous room in awe.

It was clearly a cellar, but unlike any she'd ever seen. The crossbeams and rafters were each at least three feet thick and stretched across the ceiling from one side of the room to another. Candelabras were embedded every few feet in the walls, charred candle stumps still resting in some of them. There was a table and what looked like an old piano in one corner, but otherwise the room was bare. It was all just wide-open space, resting silently under the street. It was perfect for whatever her mother had planned. Tegan snapped her fingers and the candles flared up around them, sending light into the farthest corners of the room. Evie grinned.

"Cool."

"Your first lesson," Tegan said from beside her, digging around in her handbag, "begins now. I have another present for you, and this one is also very important."

She made an 'aha!' noise, signaling she found what she was looking for. She pulled from her bag what appeared to be a book, but it was incredibly small. Evie recognized it at once as a miniaturized Encantis. She grinned in excitement as her mother began to unfold it. It grew larger and larger, until it was about a foot long from top to bottom. Tegan placed a hand on the cover and jerked it upward. The book expanded like an accordion and tripled in width. Tegan held it out for Evie to take, which she did with minor difficulty. The thing was heavy…

"You might want to step back," Tegan said, smiling at her awestruck daughter. Evie quickly backed up until she was almost touching the wall. She avoided it though, not wanting to get any spiders or cobwebs on her. Tegan strode into the center of the room and turned back to face Evie. She looked ominous, standing there with her arms out, illuminated by the eerie firelight. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, feeling a slight pang of backwards of déjà vu. Years ago, she'd been the one staring wide-eyed as her soon-to-be master stood in the center of the room, in the exact same pose, feeling the incredible power of magic flowing through _his _veins. She knew exactly how she must look to Evie.

She threw her hands down sharply, expelling all air from her lungs in a rush. She heard Evie yelp and felt the heat of the flames roar up around her. Her grey eyes opened slowly, a small smile curling her full lips. The Morganian Pentacle sprawled out around her, erupting from the floor in a purple blaze. She began to move her hands over the blank points, carving the ancient runes into the cracked cement floor. She rotated slowly, taking her time to make sure she got every symbol just right. A single mistake could be fatal later on.

Once she'd turned full circle, meticulously carving each rune and probably wasting too much time, she raised her eyes across the fire wall and met Evie's wide, anticipation-filled brown ones. For a moment she was back in the warehouse, staring up at the impressive figure of a man in front of her, feeling knots of emotion writhing in her stomach. Then she blinked and the image was shattered. She swallowed, then took a deep breath.

"Come closer, Evelyn, but don't step inside the pentacle yet," she said. Evie broke away from the wall she'd been affixed to and took a tentative step forward. She seemed to find her legs again and strode forward, stopping just outside the outer edge of the circle surrounding the pentacle. She looked at Tegan expectantly.

"Evie, I want you to understand something," Tegan started, giving her best 'mother' glare. Evie swallowed, so she knew she'd done it right. She continued.

"I know I've said it a thousand times before, but magic is not a toy or a game or something to be taken lightly. It is powerful and dangerous and it can kill you. I know from experience. If you step across that line, you will be sacrificing every chance you could ever have at a 'normal' life. There will be no going back. That line is the border between how it is and how it will be. Crossing it makes you my apprentice, and I your master. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Evie took a deep breath, staring into her mother's eyes. They were brighter and clearer than Evie had ever seen them, almost a transparent silver. She nodded after only a moments hesitation.

"I'm ready," she said aloud, her voice quavering slightly. Tegan looked a little resigned, but she gestured for Evie to move anyways.

"Then step inside," Tegan said, trying not to sound too much like Count Dracula. Clenching her hands into tight fists, Evie took a deep, shuddering breath, then lifted her left foot and set it over the rim of the circle. Flames roared up in all direction, sealing her and her fate inside the pentacle.


	4. Daddy Issues

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: I realize that this is starting out slower than the last one, but I'm trying to build up the characters better. Everything has significance, and I'm trying to build suspense as well. Tell me how I'm doing so far. Reviews or messages, either is fine.

* * *

Evie, like her mother, was a very quick learner.

Over the course of a single week, she managed to master more spells than Tegan had in a whole month. True, most of the spells were simple, day to day assistance spells instead of full-fledged combat spells, but it was still remarkable. Tegan had the utmost confidence that she would be a powerful sorceress one day.

When Evie was younger, Tegan would often wonder if she possessed any magic at all. She assumed she did, being as both her parents were probably the most powerful Morganians in the world, but she didn't know how these things worked. Magic was apparently placed at random, because she knew for a fact that neither of her parents possessed any magical talent whatsoever, and yet Evie definitely had powers.

The tub of pudding floating across the living room was evidence of that.

"Put it back, Evie," Tegan said without looking up from her newspaper. She heard a disappointed 'awww' from somewhere behind her, but the pudding dish changed direction and landed heavily on the counter. Tegan smiled to herself and turned the page.

"Can we practice some more today?" Evie said, throwing herself on the sofa next to her mother. Tegan glanced over at her and took a sip of her morning tea.

"That'll be three days in a row, Eve. Pretty risky. You don't want to tire yourself out, and you certainly don't want to draw too much attention to us leaving the house on almost a daily basis when we've almost never set foot outside of it without a good cause. People will get suspicious, then they'll start asking questions, and the creepier ones will start to follow us. I've lived longer than you and seen more, believe me, I know about these things."

"So that means no?"

"Yes it does."

"Meanie," Evie said, pouting slightly. Tegan grinned.

"Did you finish reading your book?" she asked her daughter, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. Evie flopped onto her stomach and kicked her feet up behind her, propping her head up on her elbows.

"Not quite, but I'm on the second to last chapter!" she said, smiling excitedly.

"Well, why don't you go finish it now," Tegan said, taking another sip of tea. It was chai with milk and honey, her absolute favorite. Evie was more of an Earl Gray person, but decided to go without today.

"Because, if I finish it then it'll be over!" she said in exasperation, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Tegan snorted into her tea at the marvel that was eight-year-old's logic. She supposed that it did make sense in some way, but if she'd ever said that to one of her parents she'd have gotten a fat lip. Then again, her parents wouldn't care what she was reading in the first place.

"Alright, then maybe you should go plan for what you want to read next," she said mildly. Evie stopped kicking her feet and looked up at her.

"Hey, mom?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Do you have any pictures of my dad?"

Tegan almost spilt her tea all over herself. She managed to set it down on the coaster on the end table. She carefully folded her paper, using the time to regain her composure, and set it aside. She adjusted her position and turned to look at Evie. The little girl was staring up at her expectantly with those damn eyes. Tegan's gaze didn't waver, but she was unable to suppress the urge to swallow.

"Why all this sudden interest in your father?" she asked, and was proud when her voice didn't shake. Evie shrugged to the best of her ability in her current position.

"I dunno. I was just thinking how it's always just been you and me, and how you always get this wistful look on your face whenever we watch a romantic movie or something. And you're always singing those sappy love songs in the shower, and rocking out to old episodes of 'Glee'-"

"Alright, point taken," Tegan said. Evie had started ticking off reasons on her fingers, and it was a bit annoying. Evie took a deep breath.

"Aaanyways, I was just thinking about that stuff and I realized that you've never actually said anything about him, or what happened to him for that matter. I went through your closet and tried to find something about him-"

"Wait, you did _what_?"

"-But all I found was some stuff that I _really_ didn't need to know existed," Evie continued, ignoring her mother's outrage with a slight shudder. "No photos, no love letters, no secret diaries, nothing. So I decided to ask you. If I'd known that you'd tell me so easily, I would've done that from the start."

She shrugged again and turned on her best innocent face, sure to make her eyes as wide as possible without looking deranged. She was pleased that the hours spent practicing in front of the mirror were not in vain, because Tegan visibly deflated, looking remarkably like the balloon you find behind the sofa two weeks after a party. She took a deep breath and made a contemplative face, then bit the inside of her lip.

"I don't actually have any photographs," she said slowly. "But there's a few picture of him in the Encantis. He's actually a bit of a celebrity in certain circles," she said, smirking slightly. Evie looked skeptical. Tegan sighed and shoved herself off the couch, walking over the counter to grab the Encantis, then lugging it back to the sofa. Evie sat up straight and watched expectantly as Tegan flipped through the pages. She went to the ancient history section first, and almost immediately found the picture she was looking for.

"There," she said, showing the picture to Evie. "That's him, on the right."

"With the sword?"

"Yup."

Evie hesitated a moment, then tugged the enormous book out of her mother's lap and into her own. She stared down at the drawing of the man who was her father.

He had shoulder-length, wavy black hair and a neatly cropped beard. He was a little overweight, but it suited him. He was brandishing his sword in a way that implied he knew how to use it and wasn't afraid to do so. A bright blue gem glowed at the tip of the hilt. Evie tilted her head slightly. He certainly posed an impressive figure.

"This picture looks kinda old, mom. Is that what he looked like when you met him?"

Tegan laughed despite herself. If he'd looked like that when she'd met him the first time, she never would have even considered following him out of the bar.

"You're right, that is an old picture. I think there's some more recent one's in here somewhere… Aha! Here you go. That's what he looked like when I met him."

Evie stared at the picture Tegan had flipped to for a long moment, scrutinizing him. He looked much more clean-cut and sophisticated in this painting, and the sword had been replaced by a sleek black walking stick. As she stared, she realized that she had his eyes. That explained why her mother sometimes looked so sad when she looked at her…

"He looks like a pimp," Evie said out loud. Tegan snorted back a laugh, a grin spreading across her face. She was glad she wasn't the only one who thought so.

"He acted like one, too," she said, smiling fondly at the picture. "He always had one of those 'I'm-better-than-you-so-go-curl-up-and-die' attitudes. There was an art to getting along with him. One wrong move…"

She made a slitting gesture over her throat and a choking sound for added affect. Evie raised her eyebrow, looking eerily like the portrait in her lap. Tegan smirked.

"Well? Does he meet your expectations?" she asked her daughter, smiling and waiting for some smart-ass reply.

"You were nineteen when I was born, right?" Evie asked, furrowing her brow and staring down at the picture.

"That's correct. Why?"

"Because he looks like he's old enough to be _your_ father, never mind mine. Mommy, do you have 'Daddy Issues'?"

Tegan laughed and flipped the Encantis shut with a flick of her wrist.

"Babe, you don't even know what that means," she said, hauling the book and herself off the couch. She walked back over to the counter and set the book down with a hefty 'thud'. She turned back to Evie and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms.

"What do you say to going down to the café for breakfast?" she asked, pushing her glasses back up her nose with one finger. Evie's face immediately brightened.

"Really? Can I get some French toast?"

"Only if you hurry and get dressed. They close at ten, remember?"

But Evie was already zooming to her room to get dressed. Tegan smirked to herself and headed to her own room.

* * *

The two met in the living room a few minutes later. Evie had decided to wear one of the dresses Tegan had bought for her when they went shopping a few weeks ago. The dark swirls in it brought out her eyes in startling clarity. Tegan , on the other hand, had simply tugged on a pair of faded jeans and a band tee. They were just going down to breakfast, after all. She sparingly applied some black mascara with a little bit of charcoal eyeliner. They made her eyes look wide and a little bit unnerving, but she didn't mind. She threw her hair up into a loose bun and made her way out the door, making sure she had her cash on her.

Unfortunately, it seemed as though everyone else had the same idea to go out for breakfast as well. The place was packed.

They were just about to turn and go back upstairs when someone called Tegan's name. She whipped around, then groaned slightly.

The boy they'd met earlier in the week, the British one that Evie'd ran into in the elevator, was standing up and waving at them. He was alone at a table meant for four people, and was obviously intending for them to sit with him. Tegan was about to wave him off, but Evie had other ideas.

She was already halfway across the room. Tegan closed her eyes for a moment, cursing the child, then grudgingly followed her. The boy, she couldn't remember his name for the life if her, was grinning at her from ear to ear. That hopeful, slightly bewildered, innocent grin that often befell college students. She smiled tightly at him as he pulled out a chair for her, thankfully across from him.

"It's a madhouse in here," he exclaimed when she drew near enough, returning to his own seat. Tegan sat down slowly, scanning the room for any other options. She found none. She sighed slightly to herself. Evie kicked her under the table.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. It's not usually this bad. That's the only reason we came down."

She added the last comment because she'd seen him down here in the mornings when her and Evie would go out for practice. He seemed to catch her meaning, because he looked slightly disappointed. His face brightened quickly, though. Another trait of naïve youth. He didn't look any older than twenty-two.

"How're your ribs?" Evie asked suddenly. The boy looked up at her, confused. She mimed a jabbing gesture with her elbow.

"Oh! Ah, yes, I assure you I'm quite alright. I was more startled than hurt, actually. And how is your elbow?" he asked. They were referring, of course, to the elevator incident. Evie smiled brightly at him, knowing it would irritate Tegan. It did.

"It's fine! It didn't even hurt at all."

"That's good. I'd hate to have your mother mad at me," he said, smiling shyly at Tegan. She tried to shape her lips into something resembling a smile, but it came out more of a grimace. The conversation dwindled into silence. The waiter, Alonzo, brought over their menus. He winked at Tegan and asked her in Spanish,

"_New boyfriend?"_ nodding his head in the direction of the British boy. Unsure of the boy's Spanish-speaking abilities, she simply glared at Alonzo. He laughed and walked back to the kitchen. The boy- she really needed to remember his name -was looking from her to the retreating Alonzo with confusion. She realized that he hadn't understood a word.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly. She smiled sweetly at him and unfolded her menu. She already knew what she was getting, but needed something to keep her hands distracted. Evie raised a knowing eyebrow, having understood everything Alonzo said. Her Spanish was still a bit rusty, but knew the word 'boyfriend' when she heard it.

"No, nothing. A small inside conversation, if you will," she said evasively. She cleared her throat, catching his attention again.

"I'm sorry, this is going to sound awful, but… What is your name?"

He looked surprised for a moment, then chuckled slightly.

"That's not entirely surprising. I suppose I'm not that memorable of a person, after all. Lewis. Ian Lewis is the name. Pleasure to meet you again, Mrs. Callahan."

He stuck his hand across the table and grinned cheesily. Tegan hesitated a moment, then shook it. She smiled slightly at him. He looked satisfied.

"Why do keep calling her Mrs.? She's not married."

Tegan wanted to strangle Evie. Mr. Lewis raised his eyebrows at Evie, then looked at Tegan. She shrugged and forced a tight smile, avoiding his eyes. She knew she'd see hope in them, and didn't want to. The last thing she needed was some idiotic college boy fawning for her attention. She wasn't looking for a relationship, or even a quick fuck, and had no plans to start. Evie was going to be grounded for life if she did anything else to encourage this boy.

"Really?" he said after a long moment, staring at her intently. "I was under the impression- I mean, with the penthouse and all, I figured your husband must be-"

"I am perfectly capable of making my own money, Mr. Lewis," she said coldly. His eyes widened as he realized the implications of his words. He backtracked.

"I mean, it's an awful lot of room up there for only two people," he said quickly. He was obviously panicking, and in a rare moment of compassion Tegan decided to take pity on him. Not much, but enough.

"Relax, Mr. Lewis. I understand. You said you were a transfer student," she said, redirecting the conversation away from herself. "What is it that you're studying?"

He seemed delighted by her interest and launched into a long explanation about his studies to become an archeologist. He didn't notice the murderous look Tegan shot at Evie, who realized that perhaps she'd gone too far. She decided to keep her mouth shut for the rest of the meal. She'd seen that look in her mother's eyes on only three occasions, and all of them resulted in either her being grounded or someone getting hurt. The last time Tegan looked at someone like that, they'd ended up crashing face-first into a glass display window. She never found out why, having only been 5 at the time.

Alonzo eventually came and took their orders. Mr. Lewis ordered Eggs Benedict and a cup of spearmint tea. Evie made good on her reason for coming down and ordered the banana French toast with extra syrup. Tegan settled for scrambled eggs and toast with another cup of chai tea. Alonzo took their menus and returned from whence he came. Mr. Lewis returned his attention to Tegan.

"I've probably bored you with my ramblings," he said, leaning back slightly in his chair. Tegan resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow. "Why don't you tell me about yourself? You seem far more interesting than me anyways."

Evie choked on the water she'd been sipping, earning a stern glare from Tegan.

Tegan considered carefully what she was going to say, then began a phony explanation about leaving America to study abroad and getting mixed up in her travels. To explain away the penthouse, she easily lied and told him her father had died and left her a hefty sum, but she'd also made her own way by working as a museum curator. She had done so such thing and earned a skeptical look from Evie for it, but Mr. Lewis was so focused on staring at her that he didn't notice.

She continued on with her fabricated life, vaguely alluding to some of the many locations and counties she'd lived in during her short life. He watched her as though she were the most interesting thing in the world, and she couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed by his attentions. Thankfully Evie had kept her mouth shut throughout the whole thing. Alonzo returned with their food a few minutes later.

"My, my, this looks delicious," Mr. Lewis said, staring down at his plate. Tegan couldn't stop the remark that flew past her lips.

"It probably tastes even better," she snapped slightly. He looked up at her, shocked. She cursed to herself and forced a cheeky smile. His face relaxed and he looked back at his plate. They ate in silence.

Evie finished first, clearing her plate and shoving it away from her. Tegan glanced at her momentarily, chewing the last bit of toast. She wasn't able to eat all of what had been placed in front of her. It was delicious, but her stomach wasn't that big. Mr. Lewis seemed to have the same idea. He set his fork down and pushed the plate away from him, sitting back in the chair. Tegan dabbed at her mouth with her napkin, making sure she didn't have any ketchup on her face.

Even after all these years, she still ate ketchup on her eggs. And smiled every time, remembering a certain conversation she'd had in her tiny old apartment. Even now, she couldn't stop a smirk from creeping onto her face. Mr. Lewis noticed.

"You look amused Mrs.- Miss Callahan. May I be in on the joke?"

Tegan realized he thought she was laughing at him. Her expression soured.

"My private memories, Mr. Lewis, wouldn't amuse you nearly as much as they amuse me."

The goofy smirk dropped off his face. He looked down into his lap. Evie gave her a funny look, but didn't comment. Alonzo came to take their plates.

"_Did you enjoy your meal, Se__ñorita?" _he asked with a charming smile. Tegan smiled back at him. She liked Alonzo. He was sweet.

"_It was delicious," _she replied in Spanish. _"Much like how you look today."_

Alonzo laughed and grinned at her. Evie was rolling her eyes while Mr. Lewis

looked thoroughly confused. Alonzo shook a finger at Tegan, as thought scolding a naughty child.

"_You are a very wicked woman, Miss Callahan. If my wife heard you talking like that to me she would not be happy."_

Now it was Tegan's turn to laugh. She assured him that she was no threat to his lovely wife, whom she'd met and knew Alonzo was completely devoted to. He smiled and presented her with the check. Mr. Lewis, who'd been feeling very excluded, reached across the table and plucked it out of his hand.

"I'll be paying today," he said, a little too loudly. Alonzo raised a dark eyebrow at him.

"As you wish, Señor," he said in perfect English. Mr. Lewis turned a faint shade of pink and began to fish around for his wallet. Tegan was not impressed by his attempt at being macho. When he handed the cash to Alonzo, the waiter turned back to return to the back, giving Tegan a look on the way. She returned it with one of her own. Their micro-expressions served better than a conversation ever could have. Tegan stood up to leave, Evie following her example. Mr. Lewis stood up hastily as well.

"Well, Miss Callahan, I believe that was the nicest breakfast I've had all week. Thank you fore joining me," he said, bowing slightly. Tegan nodded in acknowledgement, smiling tightly. "Perhaps we could do it again sometime?"

Tegan stared at him for a long moment. She didn't want to be rude, but neither did she want to dine with him again. She settled for something vague.

"Perhaps, Mr. Lewis."

"Ian," he corrected. "Please, call me Ian."

"Of course. Good day, Ian."


	5. Spontaneity

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: SPOILER! Horvath's first appearance so far in the fic, but certainly not his last! I know it's been slow, but like I said I'm building tension. These things are important, even if they don't seem to be. Patience is a virtue, my friends. All will be explained in good time… Reviews are welcome! …Aw, who am I kidding, reviews are _craved_.

* * *

Tegan sat on the balcony in contemplative silence.

Today, she'd taught Evie how to conjure plasma bolts. The girl was a natural with combat spells, much like her mother. She nearly blasted Tegan off her feet once or twice, laughing the whole while. But she was weak in defense. Tegan _had_ blasted her off her feet once or twice, nearly giving her a concussion when she struck the wall. That's when they'd stopped practicing and gone home.

She now sat outside in the cool evening air, having put Evie to rest. She had a lump on her head, but nothing a pack of frozen peas and a simple healing spell couldn't fix. The smoke of her cigarette drifted slowly to her left, carried by the breeze out into the city. Her thoughts wandered, once again, to Horvath.

He was probably pissed as hell. When Balthazar trapped him in the Grimhold, he probably expected her to have him out within a few days, if not a few hours. Instead, she'd left him to rot in there for eight whole _years_.

Well, not rot. While inside the Grimhold, he wouldn't age. Tegan did a bit of research on the subject. He'd be the same age when she got him out as he was when he went in. Physically, at least. And probably mentally, too, just with a few more anger problems. She wondered if he would be mad at her.

And how on earth was she going to tell him about Evie?

He didn't exactly strike her as a family man, and she didn't expect him to be. She wasn't sure she wanted him to be. She certainly didn't want to marry him. Tegan was a free agent and intended to remain so. She had no desire whatsoever to introduce herself as 'Mrs. Horvath.' That didn't even sound right. And the image of him on one knee proposing was almost laughable.

She didn't know what she wanted from him. He'd probably want to pick up right where they left off, with The Rising and Morgana and all that evil stuff. Evie might complicate things a little, but Tegan didn't think he'd hurt her. She might even prove useful in some way, though she couldn't imagine how. She was only eight, for crying out loud. But knowing Horvath, he'd come up with something. Tegan furrowed her brow slightly, not sure if she liked the idea of Evie involved in the Morgana business. However, she was certainly very powerful… She might be able to help her crack the Grimhold open.

But before Tegan could open the Grimhold, she first needed to have it in her possession. Therein lie the problem. She highly doubted that Balthazar and Veronica would just hand it over to her if she showed up and asked for it. She didn't even know if they were still in New York. The Prime Merlinian, Dave, probably was though. He'd know where they were, for sure. He was Balthazar's lapdog, after all. His master wouldn't just go and leave him totally alone, especially not with Tegan still on the loose.

They might have even given up on her, or thought she'd just given up on the whole 'evil' thing. Their guard would be lowered. They wouldn't be expecting her after all this time. They probably wouldn't even recognize her…

She took another long drag off her cigarette, exhaling through her nose. Evie was constantly after her to quit, saying it was a hazard to her health. Tegan would always retort that _living_ was a hazard to her health. She never smoked inside, she never smoked in cars or any enclosed areas or if Evie was outside with her. She changed her clothes and brushed her teeth and used mouthwash afterwards. She didn't chain smoke, and she was barely skimming half a pack a day. It could be much worse, but of course she took Evie's health into account. But she liked smoking. It relaxed her, helped her think, which is exactly what she needed to do.

An idea struck her suddenly, and she almost hit herself for not thinking of it beforehand.

The Keeper.

The Keeper was the person who held a list of every sorcerer alive, their power level, and where they lived. They were exceptionally hard to find, and rarely gave out information without a hefty fee. The last one she knew of was the man who ran the burger joint in New York that Horvath had used to find Drake Stone. But Horvath said he'd been killed in a mugging, meaning she had no leads. Unless…

The List was passed down through generations. The burger guy's father must have had it before him, and he must have passed it down to his own eldest. She had no find out their name. The Encantis would know.

She shot off the patio chair and stamped out her cigarette in a flowerpot. She left the patio door open as she rushed inside, making a beeline for the counter where the Encantis sat. She pried it open and flipped directly to the 'Information' section.

She found what she was looking for on page seven hundred and twelve.

Emanuel Ortega_._

'_You'll be hearing from me very soon, Mr. Ortega,_' she thought to herself, memorizing the address.

* * *

"We're going _where_?"

"You heard me."

Evie was standing in Tegan's bedroom doorway, mouth open, and staring at her mother as if she'd just grown a second head. Tegan was currently beside her bed, shoving clothes into a duffel bag and not paying attention to Evie.

"_New York City_?" the little girl repeated, still unable to fully process the information she'd just been given. Her mother was known for being a bit spontaneous, but there's a difference between suddenly wanting to go out for ice-cream and flying almost four thousand miles across the Atlantic Ocean on a whim.

"Yes, New York City. Now go get ready, our plane leaves in six hours. Pack lightly."

"Are you insane?"

"Yes, now shift it! I already bought the non-refundable tickets, and I will be very upset if we miss that flight. I already got a bag out for you, it's on your bed. Pack only what you need and what you'll wear. Make sure to bring pretty of long-sleeves."

"Why exactly are we going to New York?" Evie said, stubbornly crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe. Tegan disappeared into her closet for a moment, then returned with an armful of clothes, which she messily stuffed into her bag. She swiped a strand of hair out of her eyes and turned to Evie, hands on her hips.

"Evelyn Penelope, we do not have time for this conversation," she said sternly, looking at Evie over the tops of her glasses. Evie flinched at the use of her middle name. "I have a very good reason for dragging you to New York which I will explain to you once we are on the plane. But right now, I am asking you to listen to what I am telling you to do and go get packed. Bring enough clothes for at least a week, but don't pack anything that isn't absolutely necessary. There are plastic bags in the kitchen. Grab some and put your toothbrush, toothpaste, and shampoo in them. I have your passport in my pocket, along with mine. We are leaving this apartment in approximately twenty-five minutes, you have that long to get ready. Starting now. Go."

"But-"

"Go!"

Evie made a face, but it was a gesture of defeat. She slouched off to her bedroom and found the bag her mother mentioned sitting by her pillows. She moved sluggishly, going over to her chest of drawers and grabbing several pairs of underwear and socks, throwing them roughly into the bag. She headed to her closet next and randomly picked out six shirts and four pairs of pants, not really paying attention to them. Two of them had long sleeves, which she thought should be enough. She also made sure to pack her Batman footy pajamas. She walked to the kitchen and grabbed some Ziploc bags, then dragged her feet all the way to the bathroom and stuffed her toiletries into the bag, which she threw roughly into her suitcase upon returning to her room. The airline would probably confiscate them anyways, but she didn't particularly care at the moment.

When she finally dragged her bag out into the living room she found her mother was already there, slipping on a pair of red ballet flats. Evie ignored her and tugged on her own green high-rise Converse. She slipped on her hoodie and flipped the hood up, shoving her hands in her pockets and looking for all the world like a mini Unabomber. Tegan raised an eyebrow at her.

"Evie, I know you don't like this, but it's really important, alright?" she said softly. Evie sniffed, but otherwise didn't acknowledge her. Tegan gave up and pulled on her black cardigan, then opened the front door.

Before leaving Tegan had a word with the apartment manager and explained that a family emergency had come up and they would be going to America for an undetermined period of time. She paid off the month's rent in cash and dragged Evie outside. They hailed a taxi and drove to the airport in silence.

It was a forty-five minute drive to the airport, and they spent another three hours going through baggage check and customs. Finally, they made it to the gate, where they had a two hour wait during which they sat across from each other and pretended the other didn't exist. Yes, it was childish, but they didn't care. There was an American business sitting behind Tegan who was talking entirely too loud on his cell phone. She was tempted to set it on fire and put everyone out of their misery, but that might cause a panic and delay the flight. She settled for politely telling him to shut the fuck up. He'd simply stared at her, shocked, until several other people around her started clapping. He hung up and stuffed his phone deep into his jacket pocket, looking disgruntled.

An hour and a half later, they were allowed to board. Tegan had book First Class tickets, so her and Evie were let on first along with select few others. The American business man glared daggers at her as she passed him, but made no comment.

They sat on the tarmac for another forty-five minutes, silently of course. A flight attendant came by, twice, and asked if she could get them anything. They bother shook their heads no, not looking at each other. Tegan wasn't go to explain a thing until the plane was at maximum altitude and the flight attendants had stopped bothering them. Evie would just have to sit tight until then.

* * *

It was incredibly boring, being trapped in the Grimhold.

For one thing, it was all dark. It was also very cramped and very warm, two things that Maxim Horvath truly hated. He couldn't move at all. He could hardly breath. He couldn't even blink. However, he could _see_…

Balthazar had placed the Grimhold atop a high shelf in the living room, giving Horvath full view into the house. The Merlinian probably didn't even realize that those trapped in the Grimhold were conscious, much less able to see and hear their surroundings. If he had, he probably would have locked Horvath away in a dusty compartment behind a wall or something. Then again, maybe this fate was worse.

It was absolute torture, day after day, to watch Balthazar and Veronica together. To see her cooking him breakfast, to watch them kiss goodbye when one left the apartment, to have to see them lounging together watching television, to listen to their laughter when David and Becky would come over for dinner. Horvath would have given his soul to be able to shut it all out when they made the occasional night time escapade on the sofa. With every day, his hatred for Balthazar grew deeper.

What the in the _Hell_ was taking Tegan so long?

It crossed his mind on more than one occasion that she had forgotten about him. She was an attractive young woman, after all. She'd probably ran off and met some equally young and attractive young man and was probably sitting with him in their living room right now, lounging on the sofa and watching one of her godawful crime dramas.

The thought caused a painful twinge in his gut.

An even larger, more painful twinge came at the thought that something terrible had happened to her, that she was now lying cold in the ground. Even after all this time, he was still unable to figure out that girl.

He supposed she would be a woman now. After all, she aged normally. If the date on the calendar across the room from him read correctly, her twenty-seventh birthday would be in two weeks. Far from the spunky teenager he'd known.

If he could, he would have sighed in resignation. She wasn't going to come for him. She'd probably decided he wasn't worth the risk and had left him to rot in this godforsaken doll. He was, in all probability, going to be stuck in here for the rest of eternity. It wasn't a particularly pleasant thought.

* * *

"We're going to New York to get your father," Tegan said suddenly, startling Evie. She'd almost been asleep against the window, but now sat up wide awake, staring at her mother apprehensively. Tegan was staring straight ahead at the seat back in front of her, her hands clenched tightly in her lap. She swallowed slightly.

"That's why I was teaching you all the combat and defense spells," she continued, her voice trembling slightly. "If it comes down to a fight, I'm going to need your help. I have a plan to avoid violence, but it might not work. I don't know how direct Balthazar's moral compass is, but I know that Veronica wouldn't even dream of hurting a child."

Here she turned to Evie, her eyes pleading for understanding.

"You don't have to do this, Evie, I won't make you. But it would make everything so much easier if you just went along with it."

Evie swallowed hard, a hard knot forming in her stomach. She didn't know what exactly they were going to do, but it sounded dangerous. And important. She nodded slightly.

"What exactly do I need to do?"

For the next hour and half, Tegan explained her plan to Evie in great detail, pausing only for breath and when the stewardess would walk by. Evie nodded occasionally, every now and then throwing in an idea of her own. It was all coming together. There was very little room for error, but they had an escape plan if anything went wrong.

Evie was starting to think that this was the best year of her life so far.


	6. To the Rescue!

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: Moving along nicely. I feel I might have rushed this chapter a bit, but I hope it's not too terrible. Read and review please!

* * *

Emanuel Ortega was twenty-three years old, a tall man of average build. He had a head full of thick, dark hair, of which he was very proud. He even went so far as to get silk pillowcases to preserve it, much to his girlfriend's disapproval. That they could barely pay rent and he was off buying silk pillows didn't quite sit well with her.

Emanuel was currently asleep, head resting on said pillows in blissful ignorance. He was a little lonely in the bed, as his girlfriend was off visiting her sister in Brooklyn. He had opted to stay home, for obvious reasons.

Perhaps he should have gone after all.

He was awaken by a loud, persistent rapping on his front door. He sat bolt upright, looking around wildly. The clock told him that it was barely after three in the morning. He swore and groggily got up, pulling on his discarded jeans. He grabbed the baseball bat he kept by the bed for good measure, then made his way out into the hall.

"Alright, I hear you dammit!" he shouted at the door. The knocking abruptly stopped. He approached the door cautiously, peering through the peephole. The young woman on the other side of the door stared into the peephole intently, like she could see him. He didn't recognize her. He cursed under his breath.

"Can I help you?" he asked through the door. The woman raised an eyebrow, but didn't speak. He growled in frustration and wrenched the door open.

"Look, lady, I dunno who you are or what you want, but-"

"I want an address, Mr. Ortega," she said, cutting him off. He stared at her for a long moment and she stared right back, her wide silver eyes giving him the chills. He took a tighter grip on the baseball bat. His tongue darted out to lick his dry lips.

"What do mean, an address? I don't have any addresses. I think you got the wrong door, lady."

He made to close the door, but her hand shot out, holding it back with surprising strength. His eyes widened as she stepped forward into his apartment, her tall stature filling the doorway. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"You are Emanuel Ortega, Seventh Generation Keeper of the List of Souls. True or false?"

His eyes widened again as he realized what this was all about. This woman was a sorceress, a Morganian if the steely glint in her was any indication. He relaxed his grip on the bat, his features taking on a sly look.

"Oh, so you're one of them? Yeah, I got addresses for you. But, it's gonna cost you…"

His eyes trailed down her body. She looked older than him by a few years, but she certainly wasn't out of her prime. Her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits when she saw how he was looking at her. He noticed this, but continued leering anyways. She couldn't harm him. Killing the Keeper was a big taboo.

"I have three million dollars in a suitcase," she said. "Is that payment enough for you?"

Emanuel's jaw dropped. His eyes darted to the bag he hadn't realized she was holding. The black cloth was practically bulging. He swallowed and looked back up at her. She showed no signs of joking. He leaned back against the wall, trying to play it off.

"Y-yeah, that oughta be good. Who are you looking for exactly?"

Her eyes shone coldly in the dim light.

"Balthazar Blake."

* * *

Evie looked around sharply as she heard footsteps descending the stairs. She made ready to hide herself, but it was only Tegan. The bag she'd carried up there was gone and a satisfied smirk was just visible on her thin face. Evie stood up and followed her out, neither saying a word. They stopped once they'd walked a block or so.

"They're still in New York," Tegan said, snorting derisively. "Of course. So is the Prime Merlinian. Apparently he's a professor at NYU." She made a disparaging sound. "Last I saw he could hardly speak in front of two people, I dunno how the hell he manages to teach a whole class."

"You swore again," Evie said. Tegan looked down at her, as if just now realizing that she was there.

"What?"

"You swore. You said the 'H' word."

"Hell isn't a swear, babe, it's a place. C'mon, we have to keep moving. We need to make a trip to Alphabet City, so stay close to me alright?"

Evie nodded and grabbed her mother's hand. Tegan smiled down at her, then set off at a brisk pace towards the bus stop.

* * *

Veronica couldn't sleep.

She was exhausted, yes, but she couldn't seem to get her mind to shut off. Thoughts buzzed around in her brain, whispers and ideas and forebodings. The fact that Balthazar was snoring loudly beside her didn't help either.

She took a moment to glare fruitlessly at him, then threw back the blankets and gently swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Balthazar snorted loudly and shifted slightly but didn't wake up. She sat there for a moment, thinking.

Her ears pricked up slightly, detecting a rustling sound in the living room. She was instantly on the alert. She was probably overreacting. The doors and windows were warded, so no one should have been able to sneak in. Regardless, she stood up and grabbed her night robe, shrugging it on. She made sure she head her ring on, then cautiously made her way across the bedroom.

Upon stepping into the living room, Veronica discovered it to be empty. It was dark, of course, and the windows were closed. She took a few hesitant steps forward and peered into the kitchen. Also empty. She shrugged, thinking she'd probably just imagined it, and turned back around.

She almost screamed.

She'd changed over the years, but there was no denying that the young woman sitting on her couch was Tegan Callahan. Her hair was lighter and longer, but those intense, icy grey eyes remained the same. Those same eyes were now boring into her, the heart-shaped face tilted slightly to the side. Tegan smiled at her. It was a cold, unfriendly tug at the corner of the lips.

"Hello, Veronica."

Veronica's eyes snapped back to the bedroom where Balthazar was sleeping, but Tegan sat between her and the door, her long legs stretched out in front of her. She noticed where Veronica was looking, her smile widening slightly.

"There's no need to involve Balthazar in this, Veronica. We can settle this like the dignified woman we are. I assume you know why I'm here?"

Veronica had to resist the urge to glance back at the Grimhold, not wanting to give it away. However, she was a bit late for that. Tegan pulled the doll out from behind the sofa pillow, regarding it with a raised eyebrow. She looked back to Veronica, who swallowed. Veronica knew how powerful she was and wasn't entirely sure she could take her on alone. Her head throbbed painfully in memory of their last meeting, when Tegan had struck her with Horvath's walking stick. She was relieved to see that he was still sealed I the doll. She swallowed, trying to think of something to say.

"Tegan, you don't know what you-"

"I know exactly what I'm doing," she hissed, silencing Veronica. She stood up slowly, coming to stand so they were only a few inches apart. The Grimhold was tucked tightly under her arm. She stared at Veronica for a long moment, then glanced behind her.

"Evie," she said simply. Veronica turned, confused. Her eyes widened.

"No," she whispered, taking a step back.

The little girl stepped forward into the beam of moonlight streaming the window, lowering her hood. She looked up at Veronica with impassive brown eyes. _His_ brown eyes. She Tegan's hair and nose, but _his_ smile. She clasped her hands gracefully in front of her, letting Veronica catch the glint of a gold ring on her finger. The little girl smiled sweetly at her.

"Hello," she said, tilting her head a little to the left. Veronica thought she might faint.

"Now do you see?" Tegan said from behind her. She whipped around, staring at the young woman she'd feared and pitied for all these years, not quite sure what to feel. She opened her mouth to speak, but Tegan held up a hand, silencing her instantly.

"I'm taking him with me, Veronica, and I won't hesitate to kill you if you try to stop me. I've already placed a döppelganger doll on top of the shelf, so there's no reason for Balthazar or the Prime Merlinian to know about this just yet. I'll be out of the country in two days, you can tell them then, alright? But for now…"

She made a fist and jerked it back slightly, like she was tightening a knot. Veronica felt her throat close up for a moment, but it reopened much to her immense relief. Tegan had put a binding spell on her. She wouldn't be able to mention her or this incident for another two days, if what Tegan said was correct. She nodded. Tegan smiled at her, some of the hostility gone from her eyes.

"I knew I could count on you, Veronica. This was much easier than I expected. I almost did it without waking you. I'll be seeing you soon. Evie, put that down. Let's go."

The little girl set down the figurine she'd been fiddling with as Tegan stepped forward past Veronica, heading for the door. Veronica knew in her gut that she couldn't let her get away with the Grimhold, but couldn't find the strength to stop her. She watched in astonishment as the little girl stepped _through_ the door as if it were water, shortly followed by her mother.

She stood there in the dark for what seemed like an eternity, not quite sure what to do with herself. She wanted to run and wake up Balthazar and tell him about the whole thing, but the spell prevented her from doing so. Feeling weak at the knees, she made her way over to the couch and sat down heavily, trying to collect her thoughts.

There was no doubt in her mind that the little girl was Maxim Horvath's daughter. Tegan was probably carrying her when she fled that night from the Lakewood Towne Center. She probably didn't even know…

Veronica leaned forward, placing her head in her hands.

* * *

She'd come after all.

He'd watched her sneak effortlessly into the apartment, taking a quick glance around the place. She grinned when she spotted him, or rather, spotted the doll, and quickly grabbed it, stuffing it inside her jacket.

Horvath was jostled around for a moment, then he heard voices. Veronica. She must have woken up. He expected there to be a showdown, but whatever Tegan said or did made her let them go without a fuss. There was one unidentified voice, but he only heard it once. He figured he must have imagined it.

But she was here. She had the doll, and him, in her possession and was going to let him out.

It was about time.

* * *

Tegan hadn't expected it to be that easy. If she'd known she could just walk in and take it right out from under their noses without a fight, she would have done so ages ago. She'd wasted time. So much precious time.

She booked a flight back to Spain immediately.

"Can I see it?" Evie asked, gesturing to the lump under mother's jacket. Tegan glanced at her daughter, not breaking her stride.

"Not yet. We have to get home first. They'll have a harder time finding us there, and they can't go to the keeper. He won't give them any information about us for at least a month."

"How do you know?"

"Because I bribed him not to," Tegan said simply. Evie raised an eyebrow, but refrained from commenting. Tegan continued. "They'll have to find us on their own, which will be considerably harder. As long as we keep a low profile and don't do anything to get us featured in the Encantis, we should be good. "

"Can we please just sleep here tonight?" Evie asked, exasperated. They'd been awake now for over 24 hours, and it was another 8 hours to fly back to Spain, not counting the time it would take to just get on the plane. She was exhausted. So was Tegan, but she still shook her head.

"Eve, I've already got the tickets. You can sleep at the airport and once we're on the plane, but we really need to go."

Evie made a sullen face. Tegan felt bad for putting this strain on her, but it was necessary. Plus, it would all be over soon. Hopefully.

Tegan and Evie stole out of the hotel into the ever-bustling streets of New York. They hailed a cab to the airport and drove off into the dark, cargo in tow.


	7. Coming To Terms With It All

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: Yay, I'm making progress! I want to thank everyone for all the support they've shown and all the reviews given. I don't know how well this sequel matches it's predecessor, but I hope it isn't total bull-poopie. Also, I would to give credit for the Jell-O quote to my dear friend Delilah.

* * *

It was 7:36 in the morning when Tegan and Evie finally staggered back into their apartment building, each only having gotten three hours worth of sleep on the plane. They had to pass through the café on their way upstairs, much to Tegan's annoyance.

Mr. Ian Lewis spotted them from across the room and made a beeline for them.

"Miss Callahan!" he said as he approached, much too loudly to Tegan's liking, grinning goofily. She glared at him and didn't stop, but this did nothing to deter him.

"I heard you were going to be out of town for a while," he said, walking with her through the café. "But you look as though you're just returning. I must have been mistaken. Here, let me take you bag for you-"

"Touch my bag and I'll cut your fucking hand off," Tegan said through clenched teeth. Mr. Lewis looked at her, startled. He took a step back and withdrew his hand, looking at her fully for the first time. He noted the dark circles under her eyes and slightly greasy hair.

"I- I'm sorry, I was just trying to-"

"I don't need your help!" Tegan snapped, earning a few nervous glances from the other patrons in the café. "I've been on a plane for eight hours, I haven't slept in two days, and I really need a shower. Now if you would please get out of my before I do something that I will later regret-"

He hurriedly stepped aside, letting her pass him. He watched her retreat up the stairs with Evie close behind her, each lugging their own bags. They vanished around the corner, still leaving him gaping. Alonzo had observed the whole seen from behind the counter, his dark eyes hooded slightly. He didn't like that man, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why. Something about him just wasn't right…

Before collapsing face-first into her bed, Tegan made one last effort and unzipped her travel bag. She grabbed the Grimhold, stared at it for a long moment, _then_ proceeded to walk over and fall face-first onto her bed.

She slept for sixteen hours straight.

Her dreams were of the abnormal kind, featuring lots of fire and magic and plasma bolts, with the occasional gut-wrenching cry thrown in for good measure.

She was running, but from who or what she didn't know. All she knew what that she was terrified, the cold clamminess settled in her stomach told her that. Her breath was coming in shallow, raspy gasps. Her hair was in her eyes, so she couldn't see very well, but she was running too fast to concentrate on pushing it back. Someone was chasing her. She could hear their heavy footsteps too close behind her and knew she had to go faster, but her sides were burning. Her muscles were Jell-O, and the Jell-O was on fire. She stumbled and went down. She fell back and turned to see what was chasing her.

She was still screaming when Evie shook her awake.

"Mom! Mommy! Wake up! It's a dream, mom, it's just a dream!"

Tegan shot bolt upright, drawing in a great gasp of air, her eyes wide and unseeing. She swatted at Evie, not recognizing her for a moment. Her flailing motions stopped as the realization set in.

It was a dream. It was only a dream…

Evie yelped as Tegan grabbed her and dragged her into the bed, wrapping her arms tightly around her. She was startled when she realized that her mother was crying. Her mother never cried. Ever. She sometimes got watery-eyed, but these were full-on waterworks. She was sobbing, her long fingers clutching at the fabric of Evie's shirt, nearly crushing the small girl in her arms. Evie hugged her back awkwardly, her upper arms being flattened by her sides, and calmly repeated that it was all going to be okay.

It was strange for her, to be the comfort_ing_ instead of the comfort_ed_. She didn't know what could possibly have frightened her mother so much, and was probably glad for that. The scream her mother had let out was one of complete and utter terror, beyond the bounds of simply being scared for your life. Evie shuddered slightly, sincerely hoping never to hear such a sound every again.

They sat like that for a good five minutes, Tegan trying to slow her breathing and stop her heart from trying to beat it's way out of her chest. She loosened her grip on Evie, realizing that she'd been crushing the poor girl, and leaned back against the headboard. Her head connected with a dull 'thunk', her eyes closing briefly. She opened them immediately. She could still see it, burning into her eyelids. She reached over and switched on the lamp, her hand shaking slightly. Evie squinted and made a face at the bright light, but made no comment. She moved to sit next to her mother by the headboard, but there was something hard under the blankets. She pulled them aside and stared down at the Grimhold.

She looked up at Tegan.

"Where you sleeping with this?" she asked, a small smile threatening to paint her small face. Tegan reached over and, without opening her eyes, grabbed the Grimhold, cradling it in her arms.

"It's time," she said softly. Her tone was blank, almost unnaturally so. She slowly opened her grey eyes, now more silver than anything, and stared without seeing into the bedroom in front of her. Evie's smile vanished, replaced by a solemn look of understanding.

"Are we going to do it here or in the cellar?"

Tegan was quiet for a long time, so long that Evie was about to repeat herself.

"Here," she said suddenly. Evie shut her mouth. "We'll let him out here. He'll probably want to shower."

A smile curved her lips slightly, like she was remembering something, but her eyes remained blank. She pulled the covers away from her legs and set her feet on the floor. She moved sluggishly, pushing herself off the bed with one hand, still clutching the Grimhold with the other. She wandered out towards the living room, Evie following her cautiously, mentally preparing herself to steady her mother should she start swaying. It was unnecessary. Tegan was quiet stable.

Before she did anything else magic related, Tegan went to the kitchen and made a fresh pot of tea. Eight years is a long time to go without anything to eat or drink. She contemplated making something to eat, but decided to wait and see if he wanted anything special. She wandered slowly to the living room and shoved the furniture against the walls with a lazy wave of her hand. Evie, who'd been sitting on the sofa, yelped in surprise. Tegan set the Grimhold in the middle of the floor, facing her. Her eyes flicked to Evie.

"I may need your help with this. I don't know if Balthazar put any wards on it, but it's good to be prepared. Stand there," she pointed to a place about a foot behind the Grimhold. Evie did as she was told, looking at her mother expectantly. Tegan brushed a few loose strands of copper hair out of her eyes and tucked them behind her ear. She took a deep, slightly shuddering breath and extended her right out towards the Grimhold, palm flat and fingers extended. Her daughter copied the gesture and focused her energy on cracking the doll open.

It was much easier than expected.

Almost immediately, a fiery line split across the center of the doll, spreading and blistering the painted shell. Tegan flipped her index finger upward, causing the top half of the doll to flip off, landing on it's side next to the rest of the doll. For a moment, nothing happened.

A cockroach appeared on the lip of the doll, glancing around for a moment before scurrying onto the floor. Evie squealed and jumped back as a swarm of insects poured out of the doll, coagulating together in a pile near the Grimhold. The pile began to form a tower, which then split into two towers that roughly resembled feet and legs. The bugs began to change in appearance, their exoskeletons shifting and morphing into cloth and leather and flesh, climbing steadily higher. Evie's eyes widened as the shape of a man became distinct in the mass of writhing bugs. She watched the cockroaches turn into thick, dark hair and fine cloth. The man was facing away from her, but she heard him take a deep breath, as though gasping for air. In his right hand he held a sleek black walking stick with a blue gem on the head, the one she'd seen in the picture in the Encantis.

Finally, the last bug stopped scurrying and melted into his hairline. Tegan stared at him breathlessly. He opened his eyes.

* * *

When Maxim Horvath opened his eyes for the first time in eight years, the first thing they landed on was the woman standing in front of him, a hopeful, uncertain expression on her lightly freckled face.

_Tegan…_

She changed. She'd changed quite a bit. If anything, she was even more beautiful than when he'd last seen her. He hesitantly reached out a hand, brushing it against her cheek to reassure himself that she was real. Her eyes closed at his touch and she let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

She squealed slightly when he grabbed her and pulled her against him, kissing her passionately. He felt her go stiff for a moment, then slowly relax. Her arms delicately wound their way around his neck, her mouth opening slightly to grant him access. She tasted just the same as she had all those years ago.

She pulled away first, reluctantly. Horvath stared at her, his eyes flicking over her face, taking in the new laugh lines and wrinkles. Her eyes were more tired than he'd ever seen them, and new creases had formed on her forehead. Her hair had grown out, swaying loosely down her back. It was lighter, too. But he recognized the smirk that spread across her face, evolving into a grin. Her eyes sparkled as she stared up at him.

"It's good to have you back, Maxim," she told him. He smirked at her, reveling in the sound of her voice, in the feeling of holding her in arms again. Both were still just as soft as he remembered.

He stiffened as someone cleared their throat behind him, the blue gem on his cane glowing slightly. He looked at Tegan, who was glaring over his shoulder. The expression disappeared when she looked back to him. Her eyes were nervous and a little apprehensive, but there was nothing in them to indicate danger or a threat. He slowly turned around.

All breath was forced from his lungs as he stared at the little girl standing nervously in front of the sofa. He knew who she was the moment he saw her, but he couldn't convince part of himself that it was true.

She stared up at him with wide brown eyes, _his_ brown eyes, obviously wary of him. Her wavy shoulder-blade length hair was the same shade of copper as Tegan's, her expression eerily like the one Tegan wore when they'd first met. They stared at each other for an incredibly long moment, becoming more awkward with each second that ticked by. Thankfully, Tegan broke the tense silence.

"Um…"

Horvath turned back to her, looking a little dumbstruck. He gestured weakly at the girl.

"Is- is that…"

Tegan bit her lip and nodded. He swallowed and slowly turned back to the girl, who now had her head tilted slightly to the side, eyebrow raised. She couldn't be more than seven or eight years old, but she certainly seemed to have mastered the facial expression of severe befuddlement. She opened her mouth and spoke to him, her father, for the first time in her life.

"Dude, you're made out of bugs."

* * *

Three hours and several cups of tea later, the three of them sat awkwardly at the kitchen table, each staring into their own respective tea cups.

Tegan had explained her life after that night in Washington, how she'd moved from place to place and generally kept a low profile. She neglected to mention where all her money came from, and Horvath didn't press the point. Then they got on the most interesting subject to Horvath, the one of the little girl currently sitting across from him and kicking her feet under the table.

Evie. Evelyn Penelope Callahan. His daughter.

All his life, Horvath had done everything in his power to prevent what was now staring curiously at him. A child of his. His life was never certain and always fraught with danger. He never wanted to expose a child to that, as he had been when he was Merlin's apprentice. He had even been abstinent for almost 150 years before he met Tegan, not counting the time he spent in the Grimhold. It was too risky otherwise. He never wanted to have any loose ends or weaknesses that could be used against him by his enemies. But now he'd failed.

It wasn't entirely bad, though. The girl appeared to be very intelligent and mature for her age. Tegan had been about two weeks pregnant with her when she'd fled from Balthazar and the Prime Merlinian. She hadn't even realized it until almost a month and a half later. He could only imagine her surprise.

She explained about wanting to wait until Evie was older until she came back for him, and he completely supported her decision. He would have done the exact same thing. A parent's first priority should always be their children and their well-being. Everything else was secondary. Tegan seemed incredibly relieved when he said this, and he realized she thought he might be angry with her for leaving him in the doll for so long. He wasn't. He had no reason to be. He would have been very angry, however, if she'd simply left the child at some random doorstep and ran off to free him. Horvath supposed it was a residual Merlinian trait in him, to be fiercely loyal to one's own. He could've laughed at the irony.

Now, sitting around and not looking at each other, Horvath began to consider what this would mean. What would be expected of him as a father. He shifted slightly in his seat, a motion that Tegan's sharp eyes didn't miss. She wore glasses now, which he thought made her look even lovelier, but she still had the eyes of a hawk. It probably came from raising a child, constantly having to be on the lookout.

"You don't have to stay," she said suddenly, surprising him. He stared at her for a long moment. She glanced up at him, then stared back into her tea, which was now cold.

"I don't expect anything from you," she told him. "I certainly don't want to marry you, so don't worry about that."

He sat in shock. He hadn't even thought about marriage… He wasn't completely opposed to the idea, but Tegan seemed to be. When he didn't respond, she continued.

"I mean, I know there's still the whole Morgana thing to deal with, and I'll still help with that, but you'd still have to hold up your end of the deal and make her leave me alone, because I do _not_ want to have to deal with some crazy evil sorceress thinking I'm a threat and trying to destroy me. I don't need that right now. Or ever, actually. It's not high on my list of things to do before I die, if you know what I mean, and it would be awful way to die, I'm sure. But, yeah, as soon as she comes back, I'm gone. Out of the picture. Whether or not you come with me, well us, is up to you. It'd be great if you, but you don't have. I don't want you to think that I'm making you or anything, because I'm not. It's all totally up to you and-"

"Do you remember what I said to you that night you ran away?" Horvath asked, ending her pathetic ramblings. She shut up and stared at him, obviously confused. He took a deep breath.

"I told you that there wasn't an obstacle on this earth that could keep me from you," he said in a low voice, staring into his teacup. He looked up at her, meeting her intense grey eyes with his own black ones. "I meant that, Tegan. I still do."

For a moment, he thought she might launch herself over the table and maul him with kisses, but the scene in his mind never took place, mostly thanks to a derisive little snort from his right.

"That's really sappy, you know."

Horvath turned his head slowly to raise his eyebrow at Evie, who was smirking at him. Tegan made a face at her, which only made her grin wider. Horvath couldn't help smirking a little.

"Yes, I suppose it is," he said calmly. He still wasn't quite sure how to act towards her. He didn't want to immediately begin acting like her parent, even though he technically was, but he didn't want to encroach on Tegan's authority. Also, he had the feeling that the girl would just stare at him with raised eyebrows if he tried to make her do something. It wasn't a particularly pleasant thought.

"You don't look like the type of person I would peg as sappy," Evie said, resting her chin in her hand and staring intensely at him. Now he understood why most foes couldn't look him in the eyes for very long. They were very intimidating, even set in the face of an eight year old.

"He generally isn't," Tegan said, answering for him. He looked over at her and she smirked back, then looked at Evie. "When he said it the first time, it was very dramatic. There were explosions in the background and everything, so I don't think you could call it sappy then. But now…"

She grinned at Horvath, who glared half-heartedly back at her. Evie observed the exchange with a raised eyebrow, slowly sipping her tea. Horvath noted with approval that it was Earl Gray, a favorite of his as well. Tegan had opted for something murky brown and spice-smelling that he couldn't identify, but she seemed to be enjoying it.

"Um, I have a question," Evie said. Tegan and Horvath both looked at her expectantly. She jerked her head in Horvath's direction, but the question was directed at Tegan.

"Where exactly is he going to sleep?"

Tegan raised an eyebrow and sipped her tea. She set the cup down and folded her arms on the table, staring at Evie coolly.

"Babe, do you really want me to answer that question, or will it give you bad dreams?"

Evie looked at her for a moment, then glanced at Horvath. She looked away and shuddered slightly.

"Yeah, good point. I'm going to go vomit now. Thanks mom."

"Anytime, babe," Tegan said, grinning broadly. Horvath was slightly scandalized by their line of conversation, and a little insulted that the girl certainly did seem to be heading towards the bathroom. He shifted slightly and looked back at Tegan, who was smirking at him.

"Do you two often converse that openly?" he asked quietly. Tegan raised an eyebrow.

"She watches Discovery Channel for 21 hours a week," she explained calmly. "She's seen almost every species in the world mating and giving birth. Don't let the puppy-dog face fool you, she's not nearly as sheltered or innocent as she seems. She's a lot better than I was at her age, though."

Horvath looked at her thoughtfully, sipping his tea.

"I see…"

She raised and eyebrow at him.

"What is it you see, O Wise One?" she snarked. He glared half-heartedly at her, setting his cup down. He stared down into the dark liquid, watching the steam rise and curl and evaporate. His eyes darkened.

"I've missed a lot, haven't I?" he said quietly. Her eyes softened as she looked at him, realizing just how much she'd missed him.

"Yeah, I suppose you have…" she said softly, looking down. "But you're here now, and if you really meant what you said then you don't have to miss anymore. It'll take a while to get used to, especially for Evie. That much I know for certain. She's stubborn as hell, but she'll come around."

Horvath smiled slightly. He'd known the little girl for all of three hours and already he could tell that she was going to be very difficult about all of this. He wondered how Tegan had managed to stay sane, but didn't voice his musings out loud.

It was almost noon, the sun high in the sky and streaming in brightly through the large sliding glass doors that lead to the patio. Horvath couldn't help thinking that Tegan had certainly done well for herself, even if she refused to divulged her methods. He didn't press the point out of respect for her privacy, but he couldn't help but wonder if they were entirely legal…

She stood up suddenly, grabbing her tea cup and setting it down on the counter. Horvath watched her run her fingers through her long hair, wincing as they snagged. He smirked at the familiar motion. She looked at him for a moment, her expression unreadable.

"I'm going back to bed," she said suddenly. He raised an eyebrow. "I'll be naked," she continued, causing his other eyebrow to join it's partner, "So you've got roughly fifteen minutes to get in there before I fall asleep. It's the first door on the right."

Leaving him sitting there with a hanging jaw, she sauntered off down the hall. As soon as she was out of sight he was in motion. His tea sat forgotten on the table.

Hey, eight years is a long time…


	8. Love The Way You Lie

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: Songfic chappie! If anyone is wondering, the song is _'Love The Way You Lie'_ by Eminem feat. Rihanna. I do not own anything to do with it, I'm just a humble fan. Review please.

* * *

Tegan was smiling even before she opened her eyes the next morning.

Her back was to Horvath, his strong arms wrapped securely around her waist, his face nuzzling into the tender crook of her neck. He brushed her hair aside and trailed fleeting kisses up her shoulder and neck, stopping just under her jaw. She squealed slightly and curled her toes as he nibbled gently under her earlobe. She felt him smile, his beard scraping lightly against her flesh.

"Good morning," he said softly in her ear. She grinned and slowly rolled over to face him, her hands pressed gently against his chest. Shifting slightly, she scooted up and kissed him.

"G'morning," she mumbled, pulling away somewhat reluctantly. He stared down at her, his dark eyes softer than Tegan had ever seen them. A fuzzy feeling formed in the pit of her stomach.

She stretched, bringing her hands high and taught over her head, arching her back slightly. A series of muffled popping sounds and the sudden release of pressure made her spine feel much better. Horvath smirked as she did this, but made no comment. She relaxed and snuggled back into his arms. He was perfectly content with this.

They lay like that for a long time, not speaking. Horvath thought she'd fallen back to sleep once or twice, but then she'd shift slightly or make a noise to signal she was still awake. Both were content with the silence, neither able to come up with anything important enough to break it with. But they didn't mind.

Horvath glanced over at the alarm clock, which informed him that it was nearly 7:30 in the evening. They'd been in bed for nearly eight hours, only a few of them actually spent sleeping. The plane ride and changing time zones had certainly messed up both of their internal clocks. He was wide awake and here it was almost bed time.

He wanted breakfast.

As if to support the point, Tegan's stomach gave a particularly loud and angry sounding rumble. He looked down at her, eyebrow raised, and she smiled sheepishly back at him.

"How do waffles sound?" she asked him, grinning. He chuckled and smirked wider.

"Waffles sound absolutely wonderful."

* * *

It was at their customary Thursday breakfast at IHOP that Veronica felt the binding spell break.

She couldn't explain the feeling, but she knew immediately when it happened.

"Tegan broke into the apartment and stole the Grimhold," she said loudly, cutting Dave off mid-sentence. Balthazar choked on his orange juice.

"What?" he half-yelled, looking at her incredulously. A few patrons at other tables glanced over at them, but he didn't pay them any attention. Dave, Balthazar, and Becky stared at Veronica, not quite sure if they'd heard correctly. She took a deep breath.

"Two nights ago, I could not sleep. I went out into the main room because I thought I heard a noise. Tegan was sitting on the couch with the Grimhold in her hands. The one in the living room is an illusion," she said, seeing Balthazar open his mouth to ask about it. His lips formed into a hard line, clearly displeased.

"Is there some reason you waited until _now_ to tell me about this?" he said in a low voice, eyebrow raised. Veronica glared at him.

"She put a binding spell on me, Balthazar. I couldn't say anything. But… there's something else…"

They all stared at her expectantly. She looked down into her plate.

"There was a little girl with her," she said softly. She glanced over at Balthazar, who looked confused. She stared at him for a long moment, intently. A look of dawning comprehension spread slowly across his face. He slowly sat back in the booth, bringing a hand up to his forehead. He was quiet for a moment. He opened one eye and looked back at Veronica.

"Are you sure?" he asked. She nodded solemnly. Dave cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry, I don't seem to be getting this. What about the little girl?"

Balthazar slowly lowered his hand raised his eyes to Dave's.

"The little girl," he said quietly, "is Horvath's daughter."

* * *

When Tegan and Horvath emerged from the bedroom, finally, Evie was already sitting at the kitchen table with a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and a glass of chocolate milk.

She glared sullenly at the two adults as they entered the kitchen, clothes rumpled and hair mussed up. She considered snarking something at them, but decided against it. She knew her mother, and the last thing she needed was to get another lecture about birds or bees or any form of flight-blessed creature. She knew all of that.

Horvath looked distinctly uncomfortable. He didn't know whether he should at the table with Evie or by himself at the counter, so he settled for standing awkwardly between the two and watching Tegan gather ingredients. Evie glared at him until he noticed. He looked slightly alarmed and avoided her eyes. She raised an eyebrow and shoved another spoonful of cereal into her mouth, still staring intently at him.

"Evelyn," Tegan said warningly, giving her daughter the dreaded 'mom look.' Evie sighed heavily and looked down into her bowl, watching the little curls of cinnamon swirl around and circle their crunchy comrades. She poked at the little squares of cereal with her spoon and held it under water, pretending she was drowning it. It popped up the other side of the spoon, much to her annoyance. She tried again.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Horvath asked. Evie looked up, not sure if he was addressing her. He wasn't. His eyes were fixed on Tegan, or rather, her behind, who was currently bent over and digging around under the cupboards for the waffle iron. Evie cleared her throat loudly.

"Can you please stop staring at my mother's ass? It's creepy."

Horvath looked at her sharply, his expression somewhere between indignance and sheepishness. Tegan slowly straightened up and turned to Evie.

"Now who owes who a nickel?" she said snarkily. Evie just made a snotty face at her. She glanced at Horvath.

"But she's right, stop staring at my ass."

Horvath opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again. He'd been caught. He glared side-long at Evie, who just grinned sweetly back. Tegan finally located the waffle iron and tugged it free of it's location.

Fifteen minutes later, having mixed and poured the batter and letting it cook, Tegan and Horvath occupied the table along with Evie, munching on slightly burned waffles smothered in syrup. Evie had finished her cereal, but chose to remain and observe the behavior of the two adults now sitting with her.

She noticed how they would keep glancing up at each other across the table, smirking whenever their eyes met. She had an all too vivid idea of what had gone on in that room, due to her mother's annoying inability to remember to cast a silencing spell. Little things like that could have saved her several hours of sleep and time not spent with a pillow over her ears. She supposed she should have expected it, but… She shuddered slightly.

They finished their meals in silence, the glances becoming less frequent. Finally, Tegan sat back and pushed her plate away, resting her hands on her stomach and making a face.

"Ugh, I'm stuffed. Waffles were definitely a good idea," she said, glancing at Horvath. He nodded and pushed his own plate away, dabbing neatly at the corners of his mouth with a napkin. Evie snorted quietly, earning a sharply raised eyebrow from her mother. Tegan just rolled her eyes. She glanced over to the counter where the radio sat and flicked a finger.

Something violent and rap-sounding blared out into the kitchen. Tegan made a face and flicked her finger again, sending the dial spinning. It settled and the static dissipated, letting the music flow.

__

Just gonna stand there  
And watch me burn  
But that's alright  
Because I like  
The way it hurts

Tegan shot out of her chair towards the radio, spilling her apple juice in the process. She didn't seem to notice, launching herself forward and cranking up the volume. Evie groaned and let her head thunk down on the table, recognizing the song. Horvath simply looked puzzled.

__

Just gonna stand there  
And hear me cry  
But that's alright  
Because I love  
The way you lie  
I love the way you lie

The melody changed and turned into a throbbing, pounding beat. A man's voice began speaking along to it. Horvath followed the lyrics with his ears and Tegan with his eyes. She was singing along, her voice mixed into the cadence. He was reminded of that morning so many years ago in that cramped little apartment. It seemed as though her taste in music hadn't improved much.

__

I can't tell you what it really is  
I can only tell you what it feels like  
And right now there's a steel knife  
In my windpipe  
I can't breathe  
But I still fight  
While I can fight  
As long as the wrong feels right  
It's like I'm in flight  
High off of love  
Drunk from the hate  
It's like I'm huffing paint  
And I love it the more that I suffer  
I suffocate  
And right before I'm about to drown  
She resuscitates me  
She fucking hates me  
And I love it  
Wait  
Where you going  
I'm leaving you  
No you ain't  
Come back  
We're running right back  
Here we go again  
It's so insane  
Cause when it's going good  
It's going great  
I'm Superman  
With the wind at his back  
She's Lois Lane  
But when it's bad  
It's awful  
I feel so ashamed  
I snap  
Who's that dude  
I don't even know his name  
I laid hands on her  
I'll never stoop so low again  
I guess I don't know my own strength

The chorus returned to the high-pitched woman's voice. The melody was slightly haunting, the lyrics disturbing. Tegan had her eyes closed and was swaying to it, her head tilted slightly to the left. Horvath glanced at Evie, who still had her head down on the table and showed no signs of moving soon. He guessed the song was a regular feature in the household. After the chorus, the man started speaking again.

__

Just gonna stand there  
And watch me burn  
But that's alright  
Because I like  
The way it hurts  
Just gonna stand there  
And hear me cry  
But that's alright  
Because I love  
The way you lie  
I love the way you lie  
I love the way you lie

You ever love somebody so much  
You can barely breathe  
When you're with them  
You meet  
And neither one of you  
Even know what hit 'em  
Got that warm fuzzy feeling  
Yeah them chills  
Used to get 'em  
Now you're getting fucking sick  
Of looking at 'em  
You swore you've never hit 'em  
Never do nothing to hurt 'em  
Now you're in each other's face  
Spewing venom  
And these words  
When you spit 'em  
You push  
Pull each other's hair  
Scratch, claw, bit 'em  
Throw 'em down  
Pin 'em  
So lost in the moments  
When you're in 'em  
It's the rage that took over  
It controls you both  
So they say it's best  
To go your separate ways  
Guess that they don't know ya  
Cause today  
That was yesterday  
Yesterday is over  
It's a different day  
Sound like broken records  
Playin' over  
But you promised her  
Next time you'll show restraint  
You don't get another chance  
Life is no Nintendo game  
But you lied again  
Now you get to watch her leave  
Out the window  
Guess that's why they call it window pane

The words were jumbled and more than a little random, at least to Horvath's ears. He preferred symphonies and softly crooned melodies over this crass, pulsating, toneless mish-mash of words. Tegan walked back over the table with a paper towel to clean up the spilt juice, still singing along quietly. The chorus repeated and then it was back to the talking man.

__

Just gonna stand there  
And watch me burn  
But that's alright  
Because I like  
The way it hurts  
Just gonna stand there  
And hear me cry  
But that's alright  
Because I love  
The way you lie  
I love the way you lie  
I love the way you lie

Now I know we said things  
Did things  
That we didn't mean  
And we fall back  
Into the same patterns  
Same routine  
But your temper's just as bad  
As mine is  
You're the same as me  
But when it comes to love  
You're just as blinded  
Baby please come back  
It wasn't you  
Baby it was me  
Maybe our relationship  
Isn't as crazy as it seems  
Maybe that's what happens  
When a tornado meets a volcano  
All I know is  
I love you too much  
To walk away though  
Come inside  
Pick up your bags off the sidewalk  
Don't you hear sincerity  
In my voice when I talk  
Told you this is my fault  
Look me in the eyeball  
Next time I'm pissed  
I'll aim my fist  
At the dry wall  
Next time  
There will be no next time  
I apologize  
Even though I know it's lies  
I'm tired of the games  
I just want her back  
I know I'm a liar  
If she ever tries to fucking leave again  
I'mma tie her to the bed  
And set the house on fire

The violence of the words stunned Horvath, but neither Evie nor Tegan seemed bothered by it. The man certainly did have an expressive voice, but that didn't change what he was saying. The chorus went into one final repeat, before the song ended abruptly.

__

Just gonna stand there  
And watch me burn  
But that's alright  
Because I like  
The way it hurts  
Just gonna stand there  
And hear me cry  
But that's alright  
Because I love  
The way you lie  
I love the way you lie  
I love the way you lie

As the final chord died, Tegan tossed the juice-soaked paper towel into the trash. It landed in time with the music. Tegan fist-pumped and cheered. Evie tilted her head to glare at the woman who was her mother, still resting her forehead on the table. Another song started, but Tegan turned it down and wrinkled her nose. It clearly wasn't one of her favorites. She turned back to the table.

"What?"

Horvath just shook his head and smirked slightly.

"You really do have the strangest taste in music," he said. She grinned at him and started to comment, but Evie got there first.

"Tch. You're lucky she hasn't started blasting _System of a Down_ yet. That stuff is one wake-up call you can't ignore, no matter how tired you are."

Tegan glared at the little girl, resting her hands on her hips.

"Oh hush. You love Serj and you know it. Besides my 'crap' is ten times better than that godawful foulness that you listen to."

"Hey! Do not insult Lady GaGa in front of me!"

Horvath watched with mild amusement as the two women bickered back and forth about bands and music he'd never heard of before. He smiled thoughtfully to himself, eyebrow raised, and sipped at his apple juice. It reminded him vaguely of a scene many, many years ago between Balthazar and himself about weaponry.

The smile slowly left his face.

But those were memories for another day. Today, he was going to enjoy his new freedom… and family.


	9. Cue Dramatic Music

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language and reference to rape and abuse.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: This chapter contains references to domestic violence and statutory rape. Just a warning. Oh, and there's kind of a huge plot twist.

* * *

"And you're sure she didn't let slip anything about her location?"

Veronica sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, this being the fourth time he'd asked that question.

"No, Balthazar, she did not say where she was going. She's much to smart to do that. The only thing she said was that she'd be out of the country in two days. It's been three, so she is in all likeliness already far away by now."

"It could have been a bluff," Dave said, shrugging slightly. Balthazar stopped and looked at him for a moment, then resumed pacing around his living room. After breakfast they retired back to Balthazar and Veronica's place. Becky went home to relieve the babysitter and take care of her and Dave's two children. Veronica sighed again.

"She was not bluffing, Dave. There was truth in her eyes. She, along with the Grimhold, are probably well away from the borders by this time."

"But where would she go?" Balthazar said, more to himself than anyone else. His wife and apprentice stared at him, following his progress with their eyes. He'd been pacing back and forth for the past ten minutes and showed no signs of stopping. Veronica recognized this as frenzied thinking, trying to piece things together when all they had was scraps. She'd seen it many times when they were in training with Merlin, searching for some odd clue to Morgana's whereabouts or motives. It wasn't particularly comforting to see it after all this time.

"We could check the airline records," Dave said suddenly. Balthazar stopped abruptly and looked sharply at him. He swallowed and continued. "I have a friend who is… very good with computers. He could probably get us access into the airline database and find out if any young women with children flew out of the country in the past few days."

Balthazar and Veronica stared at him for a moment.

"Dave, that doesn't sound entirely legal," Balthazar said after a moment, crossing his arms sternly. Dave fought back a blush and tried to shrug nonchalantly.

"Well, that's because it's not. But we aren't using the information for any nefarious purposes, so you don't need to worry about your morals being compromised. The guy I know is very good at what he does, he's virtually untraceable. But…"

"But it's going to cost a lot of money," Veronica finished for him. He nodded grimly. He still retained some of his boyish features, but the years were beginning to take their toll. Being just the other side of thirty, David Stutler was hardly the gawky and awkward youth he'd been when Balthazar first met him. Now he was a gawky and awkward adult with a slowly receding hairline. He was also developing a paunch, even though he remained generally lanky. It had been eleven years since his run in with Morgana, but he was still in remarkably good shape considering.

Balthazar made a face and brought a hand up to his forehead, running it back through his straggly hair, which was growing thinner every day. He occasionally wondered why on earth he ever wanted to age normally.

"How much do think he'd charge, minimum?" he asked against his better judgment. He didn't like the idea of computer hacking and getting into peoples private information, but he also didn't like the thought of what must be a royally pissed Horvath out freely roaming the streets with the Prime Morganian at his side. Tegan's powers must have increased ten-fold in her long absence. If what Veronica said was accurate, and he was sure that it was, she'd managed to bypass his wards and shields completely, as well as get the little girl past them.

He pursed his lips. That was another problem; the girl. Knowing even as little as he did about Tegan, he guessed she'd probably already taken her on as an apprentice. With Horvath's considerable knowledge of dark magic, the child might even be more of a threat than her parents. He shuddered at the thought of such massive power in such a tiny body, remembering the damage Abigail Williams had done.

"Depending on how long it takes and how many firewalls he has to bypass, I'd say a few thousand," Dave said, jarring Balthazar from his thoughts. The older man raised an eyebrow. A few thousand was pocket change to him. He'd amassed a huge fortune over the years, selling and investing and saving funds in several offshore accounts. He decided cost wouldn't be an issue. At least, not nearly as much of was as time would be. They'd already lost three days.

"How soon can you get a hold of your friend?" he asked Dave, who shrugged.

"Tonight, if you like. He usually doesn't go to bed this early."

"That good," Balthazar said, nodding absently. "Get a hold of him as soon as you can. Now, if possible. We need to hurry."

* * *

"Are you guys gonna get married?"

Horvath and Tegan simultaneously choked on their respective beverages. Evie watched with mild amusement as they both tried to regain their composure, eyes watering and throats burning from hot liquids. Horvath recovered first, staring at Evie incredulously.

"What on earth would make you think of that?" he asked. The little girl shrugged, holding his gaze. Tegan cleared her throat, finally recovering.

"Babe, I'm not gonna let you watch the Hallmark Channel anymore if these are the kind of things it puts in your head-"

"I don't even like the Hallmark Channel!" Evie exclaimed in mock outrage. "It's too sappy and lovey-dovey. I was just thinking… well, isn't that what happens when two people love each other? Don't they get married?"

"Who ever said we loved each other?" Tegan said. Horvath, who had been about to say something, closed his mouth abruptly and stared at her. She caught him staring, her eyes widening slightly. She looked down at her plate and began absently shuffling her food around. Horvath kept staring at her, but didn't comment. If Evie noticed the change in tension, she ignored it in that manner of blatant disregard that only eight year olds can pull off.

"I mean, you two are in love, right? Right, mom? Because you told me that only people who are in love sleep in the same bed, remember? I'm not an idiot, and I'm pretty sure you weren't just sleeping last night, so either you've been lying to me my whole life or you're in love."

Tegan pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, screwing her eyes shut. Damn that child…

"Evie, I don't think breakfast is quite the time to have this conversation," she said quietly without looking up. She could feel Horvath's black eyes on her and wasn't quite ready to face them yet. He hadn't spoken yet, but she could only imagine the thoughts buzzing around in that head of his. However, Evie wasn't gong down without a fight.

"Why not?" she said with as much innocence as she could muster. The truth was, this had _everything_ to do with Hallmark Channel, but she'd never admit it. She'd seen the way her two parents- she still needed to get used to the fact that the creepy bug guy was her father -acted towards each other over the past few days, and there was no doubt in her little mind that they were hopelessly, head-over-heels in love with each other. He didn't seem to have a problem with it, but she knew her mother. She'd go to her grave before she admitted any sort of weakness- aside from Evie herself -and that included people she loved. She knew she was being cruel, but sometimes you have to dig for the truth with a pickaxe. And that's exactly what she was doing.

"I mean, honestly mother, you flew around the world and possibly risked both our lives to save this creepy guy-" she jerked her thumb sharply in Horvath's direction. "-from some ancient creepy doll thingy, and then as soon as he's out, regardless of that fact that he just formed out of _cockroaches_-" she shuddered slightly. "-you two immediately enter into the smooch-fest of the century and leave me in all probability traumatized for the rest of my life. The pair of you have barely been in separate rooms in the past three days and I don't feel comfortable in the shower anymore. Last night you almost fell asleep during NCIS, which I find blasphemous under any circumstances, because you were snuggling in his arms."

"Evie-"

"I'm not done yet!" she said, raising her hand to silence her mother. Horvath was impressed. "You cooked together this morning and were about three bites away from fork-feeding each other. It's a little gross how mushy you guys are. I mean, seriously. If you two say you aren't in love then you both have some serious denial problems and need to speak with someone."

She sat back roughly in her chair and crossed her arms, giving Tegan that 'oh-what-now' look he'd seen her flash a few times. Tegan finally raised her eyes and looked at her daughter, annoyance plain on her features. She sighed heavily.

"Evelyn, I would appreciate it if you didn't destroy my arguments with logic like that. It's not very nice."

Evie smirked.

"Ah, but it _is_ effective. And that's what matters."

"Go to your room, Eve."

The smirk dropped like a stone from the little girl's face.

"But-"

"Evelyn Penelope Callahan, do me a tremendous favor and just go quietly, alright? I've developed a splitting headache in the last three minute and your presence isn't helping. You can come out at 1:30."

"But it's not even noon!"

"Evie, please!"

Tegan's hands clenched into a fist on the table. Horvath regarded her warily, but she didn't seem to have anything else to say. Evie stared at her mother for a moment, then slowly slid out of her chair. She gave Horvath a fleeting glance, then slouched off towards her room. He looked after her until she disappeared down the hall, then returned his attention the young woman currently avoiding his eyes from across the table.

"Tegan-"

"Do you love me?"

The question caught him off guard. Of course Evie had broached the subject, but he hadn't expected the bluntness with which Tegan had asked the question. It didn't help that she chose this moment, of all time, to finally meet his eyes. He sputtered for a moment.

_Did_ he love her? He certainly cared about her a great deal, that much he knew for certain. As he thought about, the list of things he was willing to do, to go through for her grew steadily longer. But… Could he say it? He'd only admitted to loving two women in the entire span of his life, one of whom was his mother. The other was Veronica. He swallowed hard.

'_Who said we loved each other?'_

Did that mean she didn't love him? He didn't think he could to be rejected in that way again. He _knew_ he couldn't. Certainly not with her eyes boring into him the way they were. He dropped his gaze to the table, but could still feel her looking at him. He cleared his throat.

"I… I think I… Yes. Yes I do. I love you."

He wasn't sure, but he thought she paled a little. She immediately looked away, biting the inside of her lower lip. He recognized the gesture and mentally cursed himself, wishing he could take the words back. Or at least stop the next stupid sentence that came flying out of his mouth.

"Do you love _me_?"

She looked at him sharply, her eyes unsure. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, then opened it.

"I- I don't… know. I mean, I feel really… I just…"

She sighed in frustration and ran a hand roughly through her hair, drawing it back from her face. For a moment her cheekbones stood out in sharp relief. Horvath watched her intently, following the way her hair fell neatly into the crook of her neck, flowing over her shoulder. Her eyes were downcast, hollow. She took a deep shuddering breath.

"There are a lot of things," she said softly, "that you don't know about me, Maxim."

It was her tone, not the information, that surprised him. Of course there were things that he didn't know about her. Come to think about it, he really didn't know _anything_ about her, other than what he'd managed to find out on his own. She probably knew more about him, who had lived for nearly two thousand years, because of her damned history books. He had no such useful a tool.

He shifted in his seat slightly, still watching her, waiting for her to go on. For a long time, he thought she wasn't going to elaborate. But of course, she waited until he was about to speak.

"When I was fifteen, I fell in love for the first time."

Horvath sat back slowly in his seat, preparing himself for the story. If the way she was fidgeting and avoiding his eyes were any indication, he had a feeling it was going to be unpleasant.

"He was older than me," she continued. "Twenty-three. He was one of the other girl's step-brothers, and he was picking her up from school that day. I accidentally ran into him on the sidewalk and dropped all my books. Cliché, I know, but that's what happened. He stopped to help me pick them up, and I apologized profusely. He just laughed and said he was used to having beautiful women throw themselves at him."

She made a noise that could have been laughter, but also could have been a cough.

"I looked like a fucking tomato I was blushing so hard, and I hadn't even dyed my hair yet. We got all the books picked up and I apologized again. He reached over and brushed my hair back, told me not to worry about it, then kept on walking. Two weeks later, I'd forgotten about him."

She inhaled again, rubbing her hands together nervously. Horvath had a feeling about where this story was going, but he didn't say anything. If he interrupted her, he was almost positive she wouldn't be able to go on.

"Then he showed up outside the school again, waiting for his sister. He recognized me as I walked past and called me over. We talked for a while, until his sister got there and told me to clear off, but he gave me his phone number and told me to ring him if I wanted to hang out sometime. Ugh, I was disgustingly naïve, flattered that someone was paying attention to me for once. Surprising as this may seem to you, I wasn't exactly part of the _in_-crowd at school. And I certainly didn't have all that many guys playing with my hair and telling me I was beautiful. It was just… nice."

For a moment, there was a small, tender smile on her face. Horvath knew exactly how it felt to be an outcast within one's own community, and the sheer pleasure of having someone special or important pay attention to you. For him, it had been Merlin who saved him from that pit of ridicule and loathing. The gods only know what he would have done without Merlin there to guide him and his powers…

She started speaking again and drew him back from the past.

"I didn't call him until three days later, and he invited me to go to a concert with him. The band was one of my favorites, so of I course I said yes. I wasn't technically old enough to get in, but he snuck me past with help from a friend, and we got mosh tickets. We had a lot of fun and a little too much to drink, but I was far drunker than he was. He just… drove me home and let me out, he didn't try anything. A week later and we were an item. His sister was one of the popular girls, though, and didn't like me being with her brother. She stopped riding home with him so he wouldn't have an excuse to be there, but that's when he started coming to pick _me_ up. It felt so good to walk out of that hell-hole and have everyone's eyes on me as I walked to the curb and hopped on the back of his motorcycle. People would literally stop and stare at the us the first few times, but after a while it got to a regular thing."

Tegan rubbed the back of her neck as though it were hurting her. Now Horvath was certain he knew where the story was going, but he wanted to hear her tell it.

"We hung out, went to parties, sometimes he'd come over to my place, much to parent's annoyance. One time my dad walked in us kissing and he even went so far as to call him a pedophile and throw him out of the house. Needless to say, he wasn't allowed over anymore. So I started sneaking out to his place."

She gave a shaky breath, her hands trembling slightly. She clasped them tightly in front of her on the table and stared down at them.

"About two months after we first met, I gave him my virginity. That's when thing started to change."

Horvath glad Evie was back in her room. She didn't need to hear this.

"He'd always sort of have a temper, but he'd never yelled at me or hit me. But he started to, after that night. He was jealous and paranoid and violent, usually about me. He wouldn't let me talk to my friends or go out with them after school unless he knew exactly where I was and who I was with, but even then he'd call me every five minutes. I was such an idiot, I thought he was just doing it because he cared about me… And then-"

She swallowed hard, once, and then her face became a blank mask. Her eyes were empty. Horvath felt a little sick to his stomach.

"He started to rape me," she said, softer than before. "While he was doing it he'd make me tell him that I loved him and that I would never leave him, and if I cried or shouted or didn't say it then he'd put the pillow over my face until I did. When it was over he'd always pull me into his arms and tell me how good I was, and that he loved me."

Horvath felt anger and bile rise in his throat. He remembered the way she stiffened when he tried to hold her after their first night together. He understood now.

"Ironically enough," she said, laughing slightly. It was a harsh, mirthless sound. "It was actually his sister that noticed first. She cornered me during lunch and asked if he'd hurt me or done anything. At first I denied it, but I eventually just broke down and told her everything. Three days later, two police officers showed up at my door and said they'd gotten an anonymous tip that I was being abused. Like before, I initially denied it, but I couldn't keep it up for long. I told them what had happened, about the beatings and the rape and everything, and they convinced me to press charges. He went to court and got convicted. The last I heard of him, he was doing time for rape, statutory rape, assault and battery, attempted murder for the pillow thing, and supplying a minor with alcohol. I changed schools and haven't heard from him since, but I stayed friends with his sister."

She smiled slightly, and there was true warmth there.

"Lea," she said, looking at him for the first time since the story began. The smile slid slowly from her face and dropped her eyes again. She picked at her nails.

"In answer to your question, yes, I love you."

Horvath's eyes widened slightly, but he didn't speak. She wasn't done.

"But don't expect me to tell you every ten minutes. Saying it makes me think of him, and I never want to think of him when I'm with you."

He nodded slightly, understanding. He didn't expect her to run around shouting it from rooftops or anything. Once was enough for him.

"And another thing," she said, now staring directly at him. There was such fierce intensity in her eyes that he almost flinched. "If you want to stay here with me and Evie and be a part of this family, if you really mean what you said, then I need you to understand something."

He swallowed reflexively at the look in her eyes. They were positively ferocious.

"If you ever," she said, "and I mean _ever_, lay hands on me or my daughter in anger," he noticed the use of the words _my_ instead of _our_, "then you're gone. For good. If I ever tell you leave, depending on the context, it means I never want to see you again as long as I live. If you try to control me or force yourself on me, I will do everything in my considerable amount of power to see you gone and make your life a living hell. Got it?"

Horvath stared at for a moment, remembering the day when he'd claimed her as his apprentice, when she'd told him she wanted nothing to do with ruling the world. She'd had that look in her eyes that night, too, and he had no doubts that she'd followed through with her threats. He nodded slowly, and echoed his words of so long ago.

"Got it."

Her eyes softened, her whole body seeming to relax. She stood up and walked over to him, laying a gentle kiss on his lips. She straightened up and walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing the apple juice. Horvath was struck with a thought.

"What about the other subject Evie brought up?" he asked, turning in his seat to look at her. She raised an eyebrow and opened the cupboard.

"Which was what?"

"Marriage."

Tegan dropped the glass she'd been grabbing. The sound of it shattering on the tiled floor was the only noise in the kitchen. Horvath realized too late that sometimes, _silence_ is the appropriate response.

Tegan rested her hands on the counter in front her, leaning on them. Her hair fell forward, so Horvath couldn't see her face and figure out whether or not he was about to be shouted at.

"Please tell me you're joking," she said quietly. Horvath raised an eyebrow.

"Actually I wasn't. Evie has a point. It _does _make sense if you think about it. Unfortunately, I don't have a ring or anything, but I think this technically counts as a proposal."

"You bastard."

Horvath raised his other eyebrow.

"I assure you, both my parents were married for quite some time before I came along, so your analogy is incorrect-"

"Shut up. Let Evie out in an hour."

"And where will you be," he asked, standing up. She was already heading towards the door, stepping carefully over the broken glass.

"Out," she said vaguely. "Thinking. You'll get an answer when I get back."

"And when will that be?" Horvath asked caustically, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter. Tegan glanced over at him, shrugging her jacket on.

"When I get back," she snarked. He snorted and turned back to the kitchen, vanishing the glass into oblivion with a wave of his walking stick. When he turned back, Tegan was closing the door behind her. He sighed.

* * *

When Tegan stepped out of the elevator, she paid special attention the occupants of the café before she stepped out. She didn't see Mr. Lewis anywhere, which was a very good thing. She didn't think she could take another one of pathetic attempts to woo her.

She nodded to Alonzo as she passed the counter and stepped outside, glancing up and down the sidewalk. It was midday, so there were quite a few people out and about. She chose to take a left. There was a bar in that direction. She needed a bar.

She strode quickly down the sidewalk, dodging people and the shopping bags they carried, as well as their dogs. It was a sunny afternoon, so everyone was taking advantage of it and enjoying the sunlight. It also wasn't terribly hot, either. All in all, good weather to take a walk in.

She stepped around the corner on to a slightly emptier street, taking a shortcut. She wasn't really paying attention, her mind on other things.

Strong arms grabbed her from behind and tugged her into an alley. Before she even had time to think about forming a plasma bolt, she felt a sharp prick in her neck.

Her limbs immediately felt heavier, her eyelids drooping. She fought mentally, knowing she had to stay awake and fight. Her arms fell uselessly at her sides. The man had his hand clamped tightly around her mouth, but she couldn't have screamed anyways. Light overtook her vision for a moment, then everything faded into black.

The last thing she knew was being dragged deeper into the alley.


	10. Demands

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language and semi-graphic violence and elements of sadism.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: Warning: This chapter contains semi-graphic violence against women and slight sadism. It's the darkest chapter in the story so far and I think it might get worse. Continue at your own peril. Reviews are welcome.

* * *

"I think I found them!" Dave said, slamming down a stack of papers on Veronica and Balthazar's kitchen table. Balthazar looked up from his eggs and toast with a raised eyebrow.

"Well that was fast."

"I know, right? That extra thousand really sped up the process. Anyways, I've got tickets, credit card information, and passport photos. Hey, Veronica," he added as Veronica stepped into the room, glancing over his shoulder. He held out a slip of paper to her with two photos on it.

"Is this them?" he asked, staring hopefully at her. She took the photo from his hands and looked at it closely. She nodded.

"That is her. And the girl. I'd know those eyes anywhere."

She missed the funny look that Balthazar gave her, handing the paper back to Dave. He was grinning. He picked up the rest of the papers and started shuffling through them. Unfortunately, the one he as looking for was near the bottom of the pile.

"Well, according to this information," he said, trying to the tug the paper free, "They bought two one-way tickets to Barcelona, Spain, and didn't stop anywhere in between or buy anymore tickets upon arrival. They're using false names, or at least Tegan is. It's all registered to a Marcie Collins, traveling with her daughter, Sarah, but I don't know if that's-"

"No, she called the girl 'Evie.' Sarah's not her real name."

Dave looked thoughtful.

"Evie? Hmm… Tegan's middle name is Evelyn, so maybe that's the girl's real name, too."

"That would make sense," Balthazar said from the table. "As far as we know, Tegan probably didn't realize she was with child until she ran away from us that night. She was only nineteen, correct? As a fugitive, knowing we would be looking for her, she probably wouldn't risk going to a hospital or anywhere she might be recognized. She probably just gave the child the first name she could think it. It might have been the name of a parent or grandparent, someone important to her. Let's just assume for now that her name is Evelyn. Now. You said something about Spain, Dave?"

"Um, yeah, that's where their plane landed and he couldn't find any new purchases under the name Marcie Collins." He shuffled the papers idly before setting them neatly back on the table. "Of course, she might have more than one alias, in which case we've lost her. But… I'm gonna say she's in Spain, because that's also where she left from when she came to New York. We found video of her at the customs desk."

"You're friend certainly seems to be able to get his hands on all sorts of classified information," Balthazar said drily. Dave gave him a look, but he knew his master was just messing with him. "Why haven't we utilized his services earlier, like the first time we had to track Tegan down?"

"I didn't know him then. I only met him a few years ago, through a mutual friend."

"Oh, I see… Well, tell him thank you. This information is going to be very useful. Barcelona is an exact enough location to track the Grimhold, and I still have the atmospheric displacement spell on it. It's sunny now in Spain, so it shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Unless they destroyed it," Veronica said, sitting down across from her husband. Balthazar looked at her.

"Yes, unless they've destroyed it. In which case, we have no leads and will have to start all over, just like we did the first time we needed to find her, walking around with flyers and everything. I really hope he didn't blow it up…"

Veronica and Dave laughed as Balthazar placed his head in his hands, complaining about flyers and worn out shoes and sore backs.

* * *

The light was blinding.

Right in front of her face, not going anywhere anytime time soon. She could see it through her eyelids, not having the strength to open them. Every once in a while, the light would be broken by a figure moving in front of it, an indistinct black blob. She could hear him moving, breathing, sitting down. She couldn't move. Even if she had the strength, the wires and cords tying her limbs to the chair prevented it.

She coughed slightly, the acrid scent of cigar smoke filling her lungs. He blew the smoke in her face again.

"Wakey, wakey Sleepy-Head."

Tegan forced her eyes open, squinting against the brightness. The man, sensing her discomfort, moved slightly and positioned himself in front of her, blocking the lamp. She couldn't see his face. It was just a blurry black mass in front of her, the light spreading out like a halo behind him. His voice seemed vaguely familiar. He snapped his fingers next to her ear.

"Hey, can you hear me? Are you awake?"

The room began to swim into focus. It was small and cramped, like a glorified storage closet, but the walls were bare. They looked like cement. Tegan was forcefully reminded of a police interrogation room and shuddered.

"Ah, so you are awake. Good. I want to talk to you."

"W-where am I?"

She saw stars as the man smacked her hard across the face. Her ears rang from the sound echoing across the walls. He sat back in his seat in front of her, a few rays of blinding light slipping past his head.

"I didn't say you could speak," he said calmly. She knew that voice. Her breath caught in her throat as the realization hit her. Her face stung from where the back of his hand had connected.

"Ian?"

Another smack, harder this time. Her vision went black for a moment, her head twisting painfully to the side from the force of the blow. The crack of flesh against flesh bounced off the surrounding walls, drilling into her aching head. She swallowed. Her tongue felt like a block of sandpaper in her dry mouth.

"You figured that out rather quickly, Ms. Callahan," Ian Lewis said, leaning back once more. "I suppose I do have a rather distinctive voice, particularly for our building. But given your present state, I'm quite impressed. I suppose you're wondering where you are, why I'm doing this, what I want from you, and how on earth you're going to get out of this one, correct? Don't speak, just nod. I'm not in the mood to listen to you at present."

Tegan hesitated a moment, then nodded slowly. She wasn't sure, what with the light in the background, but she thought he smirked.

"Well," he said, crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm not going to tell you where you are. As for why I'm doing this, however, I suppose you do deserve some explanation. After all, you haven't done anything to warrant this treatment, have you? No, I suppose not. Why this happening and what I want sort of tie into the same thing, so I'll just explain it all at the same time. You have something that I want, Miss Callahan, and that I have wanted for quite some time now."

Seeing the fear and disgust in her eyes, he continued.

"Not your body, you stupid woman. As much of a shock as this may be to you, not every man in the world wants to get in your knickers. To be perfectly honest, I find you repulsive. Much too long and leggy. No, what I want is something I bit more… obscure."

Tegan looked puzzled. She didn't understand. He sighed in annoyance.

"I want your powers, Miss Callahan, is that so hard to get through your thick skull?"

Her eyes widened. He couldn't possibly know about her being a sorceress… could he? He'd never exhibited any signs of it, or of being a sorcerer himself. He seemed to sense her confusion, or perhaps see it in her eyes. She'd lost her glasses, so everything was a bit fuzzy around the edges, facial expressions especially.

"My whole family is either a sorcerer or a sorceress," he said. "I'm the first in six generations to be born without any powers. I am an outcast in my own home. I want to remedy that. That's where you come in."

He leaned forward, so that his face was about a foot away from hers. She instinctively tried to pull away, but the chair was too high and her head was too low. His blue eyes flicked across her face, hunger and envy etched into his features. She didn't need glasses to see that he hated her.

"You were born with incredible magic that you didn't even know about for the majority of your life. You wasted it, and wasted time. You almost successfully completed The Rising, which in the past had own been attempted by Morgana herself. That is a considerable feat. I wonder how it feels, to have so much power coursing through your veins on a daily basis, always at your command, waiting to do your bidding… Then again if everything goes my way, I'll soon know exactly what it feels like."

"What are you-"

His hand shot out and cracked across her face so hard she almost blacked out. He reached out and grabbed her hair, painfully yanking her face closer to his.

"What did I say about speaking, Miss Callahan? Then again, I suppose you've always had a problem with authority, haven't you? You certainly seem like the type. Now please shut your fucking whore mouth so I don't have to keep hitting you. My hand is becoming sore."

He released her hair and sat back again, this time leaning his elbows on his knees and looking at her carefully. The left side of her face throbbed painfully, and she could feel it swelling.

"Now, back to what I was saying," he said calmly, acting as though nothing had just happened. "Because I am cursed with lack of powers, I have been ridiculed for my whole life by the majority of my family. As I said, I want to remedy that situation. I'm assuming you know of the parasite spell? Of course you do. I'm guessing you've read your Encantis from cover to cover, haven't you? If that's so, I'm going to assume that you know of it's slightly nastier counterpart. While the parasite spell merely borrows one's powers and life force for a short time, granting it's caster temporarily boosted powers, the leeching spell is a bit more complex. It gradually draws power from it's victims, absorbing all of it over a long space of time rather than simply capturing a burst of it. It requires a considerable amount of power to complete, but that's nothing compared to the amount of power gained. Do you follow where I'm going with this?"

Tegan hesitated for a moment, then nodded. She wondered if she could melt the wires off her wrists and get away before he realized what she was doing. She'd have to wait, though. If keeping her eyes open was a problem, she didn't even want to think about trying to run or perform magic. The thought of it made her head swim.

"Now, as I have no powers and no one willing to help me with this- it _is_ morally and ethically wrong after all -I've had to consider alternative methods. Now I want you to tell me something. You may speak for now, but only when spoken to, understand?"

She nodded. His sky colored eyes shone with approval.

"There, see? You're learning. That's good. My question for you is this… what is your relationship with Maxim Horvath?"

Tegan swallowed hard. She must have hesitated for too long, because Mr. Lewis reached out and gripped her chin tightly, yanking her face forward. She stifled a whimper of pain as he squeezed her jaw.

"I asked you a question, Miss Callahan. The polite thing to do would be to answer me. I'll ask again, in case the sedative hasn't completely worn off yet. What sort of relationship do you have with Maxim Horvath?"

She swallowed hard, not sure what exactly to say.

"It- it's a little hard to explain," she croaked out, the words tearing up agonizingly from her parched esophagus. "Can you ask a more specific question please?"

His eyes flashed dangerously, but he let go of her chin. He didn't move back, though, just kept staring at her.

"Alright then. Are the two of you involved sexually?"

"Yes," she said quietly. He smirked at her, an unpleasant sight.

"That little girl, is she his?"

Tegan nodded cautiously. Mr. Lewis laughed out loud at that, a harsh bark of expelled air.

"Has he really stooped so low? In his day, bedding an apprentice and producing a bastard child would be considered nearly as blasphemous as cannibalism. I suppose his morals have loosened slightly in the last millennium and a half, eh? Does he intend to take responsibility for her?"

Tegan thought about this afternoon. She didn't know what time it was now, but that had been a pretty powerful sedative. She guessed that several hours, at least, had elapsed since she was taken. She remembered what he'd asked her.

"Yes," she said softly, biting the inside of her lip harshly. The grin that spread across his face was positively predatory.

"Ah, I see… that's very good, thank you very much Miss Callahan. All of that fits in rather nicely with my plans. Oh, and don't bother trying to magic yourself out of those bonds, you'll only hurt yourself. They're imbued with a dampering charm. They absorb all magic used and redirect it into your nervous system, mainly your pain receptors." Tegan cursed her luck. "The more power you use, the more it will hurt. They cost a pretty penny, but I suppose it was well worth it. Now then…"

He rubbed his hands together and stood up, exposing her to the light again. She squeezed her eyes shut against it and turned her head slightly to the side. There a slight scraping sound from somewhere in front of her, and then the light was blocked. She hesitantly opened her eyes. Mr. Lewis was adjusting a video camera on a tripod in front of her, trying to line up the angle. He grinned when he got it just right.

"There we go.. Yes, that's perfect. This ought to break his cold old heart to pieces. In case you were wondering, you were asleep for a good twenty hours or so. It's Thursday now. I expect they'll be all in a tizzy over your whereabouts. Let's not keep them worrying any longer, shall we. Lights, camera… action!"

* * *

Horvath glanced up as Evie emerged from her bedroom in her Batman footy pajamas.

The little girl stopped and stared at him for a moment. He was sitting exactly where she'd left him when she went to bed last night, in the middle of the sofa with a brooding expression on his face. She glanced into the kitchen, but it was empty. After hesitating for a moment, she came and sat next to him on the left of the sofa. He looked at her.

There were dark circles under his eyes, giving her the impression that he hadn't slept at all last night.

"Where's mom?" she asked quietly. His jaw tightened slightly.

"Still gone," he replied, clenching his hands tightly in his lap. Evie looked down at her feet.

"She should be back by now," she added, crinkling her brow in confusion. "She's always back by morning."

Horvath looked at her again. She really did look strikingly like him, he realized, but Tegan's presence was definitely there as well. He cleared his throat.

"Does she do this often? Go out with telling you where she's going or when she'll be back?"

Evie shrugged.

"Not a lot. Just when she's having a really bad day or needs time to think about something. But she's always home by now…"

"Always?"

Evie turned to him, her dark eyes nearly as unreadable as his.

"Always."

Horvath digested this information. Something must be wrong. If Evie said Tegan always returned by morning, then he believed her. But it was morning now, and Tegan was still missing. He'd stayed up all night waiting for her, figuring she'd just disappear for a couple hours like last time. She'd been absent for about 21 hours now. That was too long.

Something was wrong.

Horvath stood up and grabbed his walking stick, heading over to the closet to get his coat and hat. It wasn't particularly cool outside, but he still wanted to look nice. Evie followed him with her eyes the whole way, kicking her feet against the sofa.

"Where're you going?" she asked and he dug around for his coat. He glanced at her.

"To find your mother. She might be in trouble."

"She might be in jail."

"What?" he said, stopping, his jacket halfway off the hanger. Evie shrugged again.

"It wouldn't be the first time. But she usually just magics her way out. Unless she got really, _really_ drunk last night. Then she probably just passed out on the floor or something. I'm hungry."

"Well then, make yourself something to eat."

Evie glared at him.

"I'm eight, you idiot, I can't cook. That's why I have a mom."

Horvath stared at her in agitation for a long moment, then hung his coat back up. As he was walking over the kitchen, he turned suddenly as the television flicked on. Evie was facing him over the back of the couch and the remote sat all the way across the room. Evie followed his eyes and looked behind her. The screen was black for a moment, then it were as though someone were removing a lens cap. All the breath was expelled from Horvath's lungs as the camera came into focus.

A woman sat strapped to a chair, the bindings painfully tight. Strands of copper hair fell in front of her battered face, blood leaking from her nose and mouth. She opened her eyes.

"T-Tegan?"

"Oh, good. I'd here I was afraid I'd made her unrecognizable," said a man's voice from somewhere off camera. He stepped into view, but he kept his head above the screen so only his body was visible. He came to stand behind Tegan and reached around, wiping the hair from her face. She struggled against his touch. She was alive.

"What the hell is this?" Horvath said quietly, staring at the screen with an expression of rage and disgust. Evie watched with wide eyes as the man grabbed Tegan's face and forced her head around to look into the camera.

"This?" said the man, pointing at Tegan. "I was under the impression that this was the woman you loved, Mr. Horvath. However, if I've got the wrong one I assure you I can easily get rid of her."

The man pulled a sharp looking, wickedly curved blade from his waistline, reaching around to rest the tip just under Tegan's jaw. Horvath quickly raised his hand.

"No! No, that's her… That won't be necessary."

He was surprised by how cool and collected he sounded. He supposed a millennium of being a cold-hearted bastard in such situations had simply been ingrained into him. Evie looked at him with an emotion in her eyes he didn't recognize. He swallowed.

"Evelyn, go to your room. I don't want you to-"

"No, let her stay!" the man said, tucking the knife away again. Tegan glared hatefully at him as he crossed back around to the camera. He stopped in front of her, a little to the right, and bent down to reveal his face. Evie gasped.

"Hello there, Evelyn," he said kindly. "I know this may be a little hard to see, but trust me, it's probably going to get a lot worse. Your mother here," he pointed back at Tegan, "Has something that I want very badly, but I can't get it without your father's help, understand? You're going to help me get it-"

"Don't you do a damn thing for him Ev-"

Evie screamed as the man whipped around and back-handed Tegan. Her head cracked to the side, her hair whipping into her face. The noise was terrible. Horvath's jaw clenched, his hands tightening spasmodically around his walking stick. The man on screen grabbed Tegan's jaw and pulled her face around, whispering something in her ear. She spit in his face.

Horvath wanted to peel the flesh from the man's bones as he wrapped a hand around Tegan's throat and squeezed. The look on her face was one of utter and complete loathing, but she was obviously in pain and having trouble breathing. Horvath looked around at a noise close by and realized Evie was crying. He made a split second decision and walked over to her, pulling her into his arms. She balled the material of his shirt into her fist and buried her face into his shoulder. He could feel her tears leaking through to his skin. He held her tightly.

"Get your hands off her," he told the man on screen, his voice low and deadly. The man stopped and looked at him. He grinned evilly and let go of Tegan's throat, coming to stand in front of the camera again. Tegan was gasping and coughing in the background.

"Alright then, I suppose we ought to get down to business anyways. I've already told my sad, sad story once today and I don't feel like repeating it, so I'll just give you the basics. I trust you are familiar with the leeching spell?"

Horvath's blood ran cold. He swallowed and nodded stiffly. The man smiled, not unkindly.

"Good. I thought you might. Well, for reasons I don't feel like giving, I am unable to perform it, and that's where you come in. You are a sorcerer of considerable power and I need you to perform the spell for me, on _her_," he pointed back at Tegan, who was currently taking several long deep breaths, "and transfer the powers to me. Understand?"

Horvath was quiet for a time, staring at Tegan in the background. Her head was hanging, her face and neck bruised and bleeding. He felt sick to his stomach. The man wrenched the camera around, cutting Tegan off from view.

"I'm not a very patient man, Mr. Horvath, and I would appreciate and timely response. You wouldn't me to have to hurt her again, would you? I'll ask again. Do you understand?"

Horvath nodded once, a rough, twitchy movement.

"I understand."

The man on screen smiled wider.

"Very good. I'll contact you again soon, Mr. Horvath. Have a nice day."

"Wait, what are you-"

The screen went black. Evie lifted her head from shoulder and looked around, then stared up at him, her eyes wide and terrified. There was a painful twinge in his chest.

"I want mommy back," she said quietly, her voice quavering. Horvath swallowed and hugged her tighter to him, realizing this was the first time he'd ever held his daughter.

"We'll get her back, Evie," he told her. "I promise you that, I will get her back…"


	11. Unexpected Aid

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language and fantasy violence.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: I actually had different plans for this chapter, but it all just came out the way you'll read it. I think it's better, actually. Also, I just watched Kick Ass, so Evie is sort of turning into Hit Girl. Just a little. R/R and you shall have cookies.

* * *

"Here, this is the address."

Dave let out a low whistle, looking up at the grand apartment building in awe. Veronica shielded her eyes from the sun and glanced down at the piece of paper in Balthazar's hand.

"There's no room number listed," she said. "We'll have to go in and ask. Do you have the photograph?"

Dave brandished the photo in one hand, smiling. Veronica just sighed.

"Alright then, let's get this over with," Balthazar said, striding towards the building with a look of determination on his face. Dave and Veronica glanced at each, then followed him inside.

Instead of a lobby, the place had a café of sorts, with little tables sitting all around. A few patrons glanced up as they came in, but soon went back to their coffee and scones. Balthazar approached the counter, where a handsome gentleman who looked to be in his mid-thirties was flipping lazily through a registry booklet. He glanced up as they approached, then stood tall and straightened his jacket. He smiled at them.

"Good day sirs, madam. How can I help you today?"

"Hello," Balthazar said, "I was wondering if you've ever seen this woman before, or this little girl?" He held up the passport photos of Tegan and Evelyn. The man nodded, smiling.

"But of course! That's Miss Callahan, and the little miss, Evie. May I ask the nature of your enquiry?"

Balthazar gave his most goofy, charming smile.

"My wife and myself are old friends of Tegan's," he lied easily, gesturing to Veronica, who smiled at the man. "We haven't been in touch in quite some time, and she invited to come stay with her for a weekend. However, we lost the apartment information. We've checked about three other buildings around here, but none of them have been any help. Can you please tell me what floor and room number she's in?"

The man behind the counter looked a little skeptical, but didn't say anything about it.

"Certainly, sir. She lives in the twelfth story penthouse, which is just up those stairs. If you take the VIP elevator, you should arrive just at the top. I assume you have the keycode?"

Balthazar stared at him blankly.

"I'm sorry, the what?"

"The keycode," the man repeated slowly. "It's a password of sorts, so not just anyone can walk in. That would be very upsetting to our tenants. Did Miss Callahan provide you with the keycode?"

Balthazar opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. He turned to Dave.

"Weren't you supposed to keep track of that?" he asked pointedly. Dave, picking up on the cue, began frantically searching his pockets, and then his small travel bag. After a few moments, the man behind the counter smiling politely the whole time, he gave up his imaginary search and shrugged. Balthazar turned back to the man. He sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you. You've been very helpful. I think we'll have to call her and get better information. Good day."

Balthazar stormed back outside, closely followed by Dave and Veronica. He walked a little ways down the sideways until they were out of view from the door, then cursed.

"Keycodes… I hate technology. Dave, do you think you could morph and hack into it?"

Dave shook his head.

"It's not that simple, Balthazar, and that's not really my area of expertise. I teach physics, not technology."

"Of course… And Tegan probably warded it anyhow. However… Aha! I have a plan. Come on, this way."

"What are we going to do," Veronica asked, following her husband as he rounded the corner into an alley. He grinned back at her.

"He said it was the top story penthouse, right? Well then, let's fly up and have a look."

* * *

They'd been awake, staring at the TV screen, for the past sixteen hours.

It had remained stubbornly black.

Evie was laying down, her little head on the armrest as a pillow, looking for all the world like a slumbering angel. Horvath wondered, not for the first time, how much he'd missed while he was in that damned doll. All that time with her he could never get back. Her first words, her first steps, her first everything. He didn't even know his own child. He pondered his decision to stay with them.

It was certainly the responsible thing to do, but was it the _right_ thing? Tegan and Evie had settled into their own comfortable little routine and gotten by just fine without him for eight years. They didn't need him. He was a new player in the game and he didn't even begin to know the rules.

Evie was incredibly bright and mature for her age. Tegan had raised her well, on her own, for her whole life. She was educated, clever, curious, and liberated. Like her mother. From the day he first met Tegan, he couldn't help but notice her independence. Her 'I-don't-need-a-man-to-take-care-of-me-I-can-do-it-my-damn-self' attitude was almost palpable around her. It made her all the more attractive to him. He didn't want a woman who would mindlessly do whatever he said without questioning it or thinking for herself. He didn't want a Stepford Wife. They were boring. Horvath didn't like being bored. Tegan remedied that quite nicely, and she'd taught her daughter to think the same way.

The girl was a loose cannon, even today. She'd toned it down a bit, but he'd noticed several new tattoos adorning her body during the last few nights. It had only been a week since he got out of the Grimhold, and already she made him feel settled in and at home in this ever-changing world. He still hadn't been out in public yet, and he didn't think he could manage it without her help. His last few attempts at shopping had been disastrous.

The thought of losing her made his heart clench painfully.

He knew what the leeching spell did. He'd only seen I done once, but that had been quite enough to leave a lasting impression on him.

Not only did it steal one's powers, but also a persons life-force. Their soul. It was long and complicated process, and incredibly agonizing for the victim of it. He didn't know why the man- a Mr. Lewis, as Evie had explained to him once she stopped crying -couldn't perform it himself, but he supposed that was a very good thing. It may had saved Tegan's life.

He looked up suddenly, having been lost in thought, as a loud 'clunk' came from outside, sounding like it came from the balcony. He grabbed his walking stick and stood up, careful not to disturb Evie, and cautiously made his wave over to the glass doors. He glanced out them suspiciously, not seeing anything. But that didn't mean there was nothing there. He carefully slid the doors opened and stepped out, walking stick at the ready.

He was immediately blasted to the side by a plasma bolt.

Horvath quickly cast a shield, blocking another bolt just in time, and tried to scramble to his feet, cursing.

Balthazar Blake, Veronica, and the Prime Merlinian stood on the other side of the balcony, a plasma bolt at the ready in each of their hands. He cursed again and strengthened his shield just as they let loose.

He managed to get himself upright, moving to stand behind the large plant. They'd found him in considerably less time than before, which he found worrisome. He ducked as a fireball set the plant ablaze, reducing it to ash in seconds. He dropped his shield for a moment and sent out a volley of attack spells, causing them to scatter. He moved to attack again, but his walking stick was blasted out of his hand by an ice-ball. Another followed, catching him in the shoulder and knocking him back into a small table. He stumbled and lost his footing. He cursed as he fell, landing hard. His cane clattered to the ground a few feet away from him, but was quickly summoned away by Balthazar. The straggly-haired sorcerer caught it effortlessly, smirking down at the now-defenseless Horvath.

"Hello again, old friend," Balthazar quipped, stressing the world old. Horvath glared daggers at him, positioning himself so he didn't look so pathetic. He'd lost his only form of attack and defense.

"If you're going to kill me," he said snarkily, "I'd prefer if you got on with it without the old-man fat jokes. I don't have all day, you know."

"And what makes you think we intend to kill you?" Veronica said. His eyes snapped to her, and she was slightly surprised to see the malice in them.

"Oh, I don't know," he said, rolling his eyes mockingly. "How about the fact you've just blasted me off my feet, set a perfectly innocent tree on fire, disarmed me, and now have me outnumbers 3 to 1 and backed like a rat against the wall?"

"Oh shut up," Balthazar said, keeping his hand trained on him, ring glowing dangerously. He handed Horvath's cane to Dave, who looked distinctly uncomfortable holding it. "Where is Tegan and the girl?"

Horvath scowled, images of Tegan strapped in that chair flashing in his mind.

"Leave them alone," he snarled. "They aren't part of this."

"Of course they're part of this. They broke into my apartment and stole the Grimhold while I was sleeping, and now you've been unleashed on the unsuspecting public again. Where are they?"

"I'm right here, asswipe!"

They barely had time to flinch before long, wiry vines erupted from the ground around them, wrapping tightly and quickly around their bodies. Horvath's cane fell from Balthazar's hand as he struggled. Evie darted across the patio and snatched it up, tossing it to Horvath. She came and stood in front of him as he scrambled to his feet, a plasma bolt in one hand a fireball in the other. He was impressed. Simultaneous spell-casting was highly advanced magic, especially attack spells. Fear and awe shone in her captives eyes.

"Are you alright," she asked him over her shoulder when he'd regained his footing. He nodded, taking up his walking stick again. It felt good to have it back in his hand. He felt weak and bare without it. He looked at the little girl in front of him.

"Where on earth did you learn how to do that?" he asked, gesturing both to the vines as the magical weaponry in her hands. She just shrugged.

"I read a lot," she said by way of explanation. He raised his eyebrow, then aimed his walking stick carefully at the three sorcerers before them. They seemed to be having trouble freeing themselves.

"It would appear that the tables have been turned, Balthazar," he said loudly. Evie returned her attention to them as well, grinning fiercely. Balthazar, who had been furiously trying to manipulate his hands, stared at the little girl with the demonic glee etched into her face. It was unnerving how similar she looked to her father, especially as they stood side by side, wearing the exact same expression. If he could have, he would have shuddered. However, the vines prevented it. He worked harder at freeing his hands.

"I suppose Tegan is going to come out any minute and blast us to pieces?" he said, more of a statement than a question. He noticed both of their faces darken, and they glanced at each other. Horvath's jaw twitched, a sure sign of him being upset. He'd had that tic since he was a boy, and both Balthazar and Veronica knew it well, even after all these years.

"Tegan is… indisposed, at this time," Horvath replied through clenched teeth. Evie looked down, her jaw tightening. Balthazar narrowed his eyes.

"What've you done to her, Maxim?" he shouted, and realized too late that it was the wrong thing to say. Horvath's eyes widened in anger as he thrust out his cane. Balthazar felt his throat tighten painfully, cutting off his air supply.

"I have done nothing to her! I am not so much the monster you think me to be that I would harm the mother of my child!"

Evie gave him a funny look, but didn't comment. Balthazar felt the pressure on his throat ease and gasped for air. Horvath lowered his cane and swallowed.

"Then where is she?" Dave asked bravely from behind Balthazar. Both sets of dark eyes snapped to him, but it was Evie who answered.

"She's being held hostage by some sick fuck who finds himself entitled to magic" she said bitterly, and all were shocked the venom in her tone.

"Language," Horvath reminded quietly. She threw him one of the dirtiest looks he had ever seen before returning her attention to their captive. Veronica had managed to worm her hand out of the vines enough to fire a plasma bolt, but she was waiting for the opportune moment. However, the line of conversation had caught her interest.

"Held hostage?" she asked, catching their attention again. The little girl's eyes held the same malice as her father's.

"That's what I said, isn't it?" Evie snarked, redirecting her aim from Balthazar to Veronica. Balthazar cleared his throat.

"I assume you expect us to believe that?" he said. Evie aimed the fireball at him, the red gems on her ring glowing dangerously, keeping the plasma bolt trained on Veronica. It was incredible how long she was holding them, Horvath thought.

"Do you honestly think I'd joke about something like?" she snapped, glaring at him.

"It's just… a little hard to believe…" Dave said sheepishly in the background. This time, Horvath raised his walking stick at him. The Prime Merlinian's eyes widened, then squeezed shut in anticipation of the blast that never came. He cautiously opened one eye.

Evie hand her hand on the walking stick, lowering it. The fire and plasma were no longer in her hands and she looked deep in thought. She turned to Horvath.

"Wait, maybe they can help!"

Horvath stared at her, not comprehending. She sighed in frustration.

"Five sorcerers are more powerful than one, right? They might be able to help us get mom back!"

She looked hopeful, but Horvath was wary. He glanced up at their captives, then back to Evie.

"Evie, you don't know these people. They're not to be trusted, and they're certainly not here to help us. That is an extraordinarily bad idea."

"But it's the only idea we have!" she said earnestly, staring up at him with determination in her charcoal eyes. He raised a skeptical eyebrow, but fully lowered his cane anyways. Evie grinned at him for a moment before turning back to the foliage fiends. Balthazar ceased struggling again.

"What do you say to a deal?" Evie said, the authority in her voice making her sound many years older than she was. Balthazar, Dave, and Veronica all pricked up their ears. Morganians usually weren't ones for deal. They were generally more of the 'shoot-first-ask-questions-later' type. This should be interesting.

"If you help us to get my mom back, alive and in one piece, then we won't kill you."

"You're going to need better terms than that," Balthazar said, twisting his hand slightly. He was almost free, but his rings were caught… damn. Horvath snorted derisively.

"How's this for 'better terms?' Help us rescue Tegan and we'll let you live, and you'll never hear from any of us ever again. Don't help us, and I perform an autopsy on you while you're still breathing. And I'm pretty sure I'm all out of anesthetic. Your call."

"You're a sick man, Horvath."

Horvath smirked at his old nemesis. His old friend.

"You have no idea… So, do we have a deal?"

Balthazar looked unsure. He turned as best he could to his two colleagues. They both looked a little suspicious, but neither of them were furiously shaking their heads either. He turned back to Horvath and Evie.

"You know," he said snarkily, "It might be easier to communicate with each other if you could let us go. It would inspire trust"

"No, Mr. Blake, it would inspire violence," Evie said coldly. Horvath was incredibly proud of her. He hadn't seen Balthazar cower like that since his first week as an apprentice, when Merlin had shouted at him for being lazy. It had been highly amusing then and it was highly amusing now. He smirked.

"Well, can we at least have a little bit more information about the situation?" Dave asked, trying to peer past Balthazar's head. Evie glowered at him, but Horvath got their first.

"Tegan has been kidnapped by an individual who intends to blackmail me into performing a spell of nefarious nature that I do not wish to perform. He has her tied to a chair with dampering bonds in an unknown location and is systematically torturing her until I give in to his demands. He has somehow hacked into our television and is using to give us a live feed, at a time of his choosing, to make us watch him hurt her. We have a face and name, but no time, no ransom, no location. Mr. Lewis has been entirely unhelpful with what exactly it is he wants and we cannot-"

"Wait," said Balthazar, cutting Horvath off. "Lewis? _Ian Lewis_?"

Horvath stared at him, eyes narrowed,

"You know him?" he asked suspiciously. Balthazar nodded slowly.

"Unfortunately, yes. His great grand-father is Ichabod Lewis, an old friend of yours, I believe," he added, glaring at Horvath. The larger man glared right back. Yes, he knew Ichabod, but they were by no means friends. The fact that the sadistic bastard now holding the mother of his child hostage was related to Ichabod Lysander Lewis came as no surprise to him. The Lewis family was rotten to the core, far beyond the average Morganian standards. He nodded to Balthazar to go on.

"He was born without any powers," the captive said in a bored tone. "The first in six generations. I've had a few run-ins with him where he's been trying to steal mythic enchanted objects in the hope of harnessing their powers. The last time I saw him, he was getting the tar beaten out of him by a group of Gargoyles for trying to make off with the Crown of Spires. I didn't stop to help," he threw in, making clear his feelings for the man. Horvath grimaced. He might actually need their help after all.

"How long ago exactly was he being accosted by Gargoyles?" he asked, trying to establish a timeline. Balthazar thought about for a moment.

"About three years before I got locked in that urn," he snarked, glaring. Horvath pointed at him.

"That was your own fault!" he shouted, not about to let him launch into one of his infamous 'pity-me-I-have-pretty-hair' rants. "You're the one who grabbed me and shoved my hand in there. You bloody Merlinians and your stupid self-sacrifices, then come complaining to us about how _unfair_ everything is when half of it is your own faults. Grow up."

Evie stared at him with an amused expression on her young face.

"Are you done?" she asked, grinning. He glared at her.

"Let them down," he said, much to everyone's general astonishment. "If they try to run or attack, aim to kill."

Balthazar relaxed a little. That sounded more like the Horvath he knew. Evie hesitated for a moment, then dropped the spell. The vines fell away and rotted into nothingness, leaving their former hostages rubbing their wrists and gasping for air. The vines had began to compress their ribcages unpleasantly. They soon straightened up and regained their composure, keeping their guards up. Personally, Dave was more worried about Evie than Horvath, but he kept a close eye on both of them. Neither made any threatening gestures.

"Get inside," Horvath said, gesturing to the open patio door with his cane. Veronica made the hesitant first journey into the penthouse, closely followed by Balthazar and Dave. Horvath and Evie followed a few cautious feet behind them, trying not to spook them while at the same time preparing to defend themselves.

Balthazar looked suspiciously around the place, half expecting this to all be a trap and waiting for Tegan to come out and blow them all up.

It was a nice place. Very open and clean. There was a large entertainment center taking up the majority of the right wall, with a tan leather sectional sofa set and a glass-topped coffee table in front of it. The television was positively massive and they appeared to own all of the latest and greatest gaming systems. A large open arch led down the hall next to a bookshelf full of movies and games. The other side of the room was the kitchen and dining area. An antique-looking round table with matching chairs sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, a small potted plant placed decoratively in the center. The countertops were all dark marble, sleek and smooth and expensive looking, just like the stove, sink, microwave, and refrigerator. Everything seemed to be state-of-the-art and modern, aside from the table and chairs. It all must have cost a fortune.

Horvath directed them to the sofa, where they sat hesitantly, all close together. The father and daughter sat on the opposite side. Horvath was slightly surprised when Evie grabbed the cuff of his shirt sleeve, her small hand curling tightly around the fine fabric. For once, he wasn't worried about stains or tears. She glowered steadily at the three people sitting across from her. He followed her example and cleared his throat, directing his dark at the man who'd made his life a living hell for the past thousand years.

"Tell me everything you know about Ian Lewis."


	12. Daddy

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language and semi-graphic violence and sadism. Elements of torture.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: Warning. A form of water-boarding takes place in this chapter. Review please.

* * *

The door was behind her.

When he'd left the night before, he'd walked around out of her sight and exited through a door somewhere back there. He'd turned the light off before he went, so all she had to go by was sound.

Tegan had spent the night in silence and darkness. The only sounds in the tiny, cramped room were of her own thudding heartbeat and panicked breathing. Even the slightest movement was amplified tenfold. She didn't know how many hours had passed in the darkness, but it was much too long for her comfort. However, it gave her time to ponder her situation.

She had severally underestimated the scrawny blonde man she'd met in the café. She had taken him as being a simpering, whimpering little airhead who had formed an unfortunate attachment to her. That was exactly what he wanted her to think. It was all part of his game, to get to know her without seeming like a threat. He wanted to get a good grasp of her powers, to see if she was really the remarkable young woman he'd spent hours reading about and admiring in the Encantis. Tegan cursed to herself.

She was an idiot. And now she was probably going to die here in this hole, screaming until her lungs gave out with no one but her tormentor to hear her. It was an unpleasant thought.

For the 342nd time since she'd been kidnapped, she checked the strength of the restraints around her arms and legs. They were just as strong now as they were the first time, and showed no signs of giving way in the future. She sighed and gave up.

After sitting in the dark for so long, she was nearly blinded when the over-head light flicked on in front of her. She yelped and squeezed her eyes shut, screwing up her face and attempting to block out the light. It didn't work very well. She heard the door open behind her, heard his footsteps walking down what sounded like old wooden stairs. The door shut. He walked around her and pulled up his chair, sitting in front of her. She kept her eyes shut.

"Hmm, I suppose I should've installed a night light or something," he said from in front of her. "Just to keep your eyes adjusted. Do you want some water?"

Tegan opened an eye a crack, squinting at him. She still didn't have her glasses, and he was still fuzzy, but he seemed to be holding some sort of container out to her. She swallowed. Hell yes, she wanted some water, but not from him. He chuckled slightly.

"Don't worry, it's not poisoned or anything. I need you alive, remember? At least for a little while longer. Here, open your mouth."

She opened her eyes wider, her pupils contracting painfully. She ignored them, glaring at him distrustfully. He was smirking at her, extending a water bottle towards her. She swallowed again, glancing warily from him to the bottle, then opened her mouth slightly.

He got up from his chair and stood in front of her, holding the bottle up to her lips. He tilted it back, letting the cool, clear liquid run into her mouth. She gulped thirstily. It was indeed water, and never had it tasted so good. She gasped for air when he pulled the bottle away, licking her lips and trying to get as much of it as she could. He sat back down, screwing the cap back on and staring at her.

"Is that better?" he asked, tilting his head slightly to the side. She nodded graciously.

"Thank you," she croaked out, her voice weak from disuse. He nodded appreciatively.

"I expect your family is worrying about you," he said nonchalantly. Her jaw clenched tightly. "Shall we check up on them again? Let them know I haven't killed you in the night?"

"What time is it?"

His eyes narrowed at her having spoken without an invitation, but he didn't strike her. She bit her tongue as he glanced down at his watch.

"It is eight twenty-four in the morning. They should be up and about by now, if they even left the TV unattended at all. It must be nice, to have people so devoted to you and your well-being," he said bitterly. He stood up suddenly, walking to the back of the room. It was more shadowed than the rest of the place, but she could make out the camera and tripod as he rolled them forward, positioning them a few feet in front of her. He moved his chair and walked back behind the camera, flipping the viewfinder open and pressing a few buttons. She scowled at her when he smiled at her.

"Say cheese!"

* * *

Dave, Veronica, Balthazar, Horvath, and Evie were all sitting around the kitchen table, fiddling with their breakfast, when the TV switched on.

Evie was on the sofa in a flash, quickly followed by Horvath. He hesitated long enough to tell the others to keep quiet.

"Good morning!" a cheery man's voice said from the screen. The camera zoomed in slightly, focusing on Tegan's battered face. The entire left side was bruised black and blue, dried blood crusted in her eyebrow and hairline. Veronica gasped and covered hr mouth her hand, earning a glare from Evie.

"Why don't you say good morning, Miss Callahan, just to assure them that you're alright?"

If looks could kill, Mr. Lewis would have been buried six feet under several times over. Nonetheless, she looked into the camera with a sour expression on hr face.

"Good morning. Why the hell haven't you rescued me yet, dammit?"

Horvath couldn't help but smirk at her bitter tone. Mr. Lewis made a tutting sound in the background.

"I said to say good morning, Miss Callahan, and that was quite a few words extra. You're lucky I'm letting you speak at all, do not abuse the privilege." His tone went from cheerful to dangerous in a split second. Tegan shut her mouth and glared hatefully at him. Horvath clenched his walking stick tighter.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Mr. Lewis said to Horvath, chipper again, walking around the camera to stand behind Tegan. "I had some business to attend to overnight. Your dear Miss Callahan remained here, in case you were wondering. I assure you, there haven't been and won't ever be any lewd activities between her and I. She's not my type, though she is quite lovely…."

He reached out and dragged his fingers along Tegan's jaw line. She jerked away from his touch, her hair falling into her face. Balthazar saw Horvath's expression contort into a look of hatred the likes of which he had never seen. The man's knuckles were white from gripping his cane so tightly. Up until then, he thought Horvath was simply using Tegan for her power and her body, but now…

"But that's enough of that," Mr. Lewis said, pulling his hand away. Tegan twitched her head back, jerking the hair out of eyes. Her eyes were cold and mean as she watched him make his way around the room, eventually pulling up a chair and sitting in front of the camera. He crossed his arms.

"I've already explained what I want from you, Mr. Horvath. Now is the time for you to ask any questions that you may have. A good one may be how I'm streaming these images into your television. Would you like me to explain?"

Evie and Horvath glanced at each other.

"I suppose that's as good a place to start as any," he said through clenched teeth, still clutching his cane tightly. Evie's hands were curled into fists, her nails digging painfully into her palms. Mr. Lewis sat back in his chair, as though preparing to tell a long and epic story.

"I've actually been watching them for several months before you entered the picture, Mr. Horvath. The girl's, I mean. They were known as recluses to the surrounding area and all the other residents, but of course they eventually left the house. This is when I took my chance. It was really quite stupid of you, Miss Callahan," he said over his shoulder, "to set your keycode as your daughter's birthday. It was entirely too easy to hack into it and gain access to their apartment, where I set up a remote wiring system that allowed me to monitor when they came and went, what room of the house they were in, how many people were there, etcetera. The trickiest bit was the microphone and rigging the television to broadcast remotely, but, as you can see, I managed just fine."

He had a note of pride in his voice that Horvath found disgusting. After a moment of silence, he continued.

"Another good question would be why I chose her. Shall I answer it?"

"Please, do," Horvath growled, his agitation growing. Tegan was staring at the back Mr. Lewis's head as though she wanted it to explode, which she probably did. Mr. Lewis took a deep breath and shifted slightly in his seat.

"Well, I've actually been to do this for about four years now, I just never had a specific target in mind. I had everything all planned out, but I was wandering aimlessly around, looking for the perfect person. When I was flipping through the Encantis a few months ago, I came across a few pictures and stories about her-" he thrust his thumb back at Tegan. "-and I figured, 'why not?' If I was going to do this thing, I might as well go all out, right? Go for the biggest and the best, right? I thought about going after the Prime Merlinian, of course, but I surmised that it would be easier to grab a woman than a man."

Horvath glanced at Dave, who was somehow managing to look relieved and disturbed at the same time.

"Women are lighter and easier to get alone," Mr. Lewis continued. "And it was entirely too easy to grab Miss Callahan, here. She ought to have known better than to walk down an alley by herself, especially in that outfit."

He laughed, an unpleasant, nasally sound. Horvath decided that as soon as he laid hands on this man, he was going to beat him to death with his own severed arm. Evie looked like she had the same idea.

"Fuck you, pig," Tegan said suddenly. The smile vanished from Mr. Lewis's face. He stood up, then knelt a picked something up. As he walked over to Tegan, Horvath saw that it was a water bottle. His eyes narrowed as the blonde man uncapped it and tossed the lid across the room.

Tegan screamed as he grabbed her hair and forced her head back. When she opened her mouth to protest, he tipped the water bottle and dumped the liquid down her throat. Evie squeezed her eyes shut, looking like she was about to cry. Horvath reached over and pulled her into his arms, covering her ears against the sound of Tegan's sputters and choked gasps for air. Balthazar's face mirrored his horror. Dave was looking down, away from the screen, biting his lip. Veronica covered her mouth with her hand.

A rage filled Horvath in that moment, unlike any he'd felt in a millennium. Rage that all he could do was sit here and watch, rage that he had allowed this happen in the first, rage that he wasn't there with her. He held Evie tighter.

After a minute or two later, when the water bottle was empty, Mr. Lewis let go of Tegan's hair and dropped the bottle. Tegan gasped and coughed, trying to force the water out of her lungs. Her face and hair were drenched from when she'd struggled, and she looked exhausted. She hung her head, still taking deep breaths, as Mr. Lewis walked back and resumed his seat.

"You really ought to keep a tighter leash on your pet," he said, directed at Horvath. There was a tic going in the older man's jaw, which Balthazar knew was a very dangerous thing. Mr. Lewis was completely oblivious.

"She has absolutely _no_ manners, she's crass, rude, sometimes all-out dim-witted… And here they said you were a man of class. How disappointing."

"You know nothing about her," Horvath growled at the screen. Mr. Lewis grinned toothily at him.

"Be that as it may, Mr. Horvath, I have the means to find out what I need to know. Now, I believe this conversation has gone on for far too long. I will contact you again within the next three days so that we may have a proper chat and establish a time and date."

Horvath's ear's pricked up. Evie turned her head slightly away from his shouldr, staring at the screen.

"A time and date for what, exactly?"

"Good day, Mr. Horvath, Evie."

"What do you-!"

The screen went back. The stream of curses Horvath let out made Balthazar's ears smoke. Some of them didn't even make sense, not having been used in centuries. Evie raised an eyebrow at him and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her jammies. They were Spiderman today. She stared at him for a moment.

"Daddy?"

The word was foreign in her mouth. Horvath stared at her, words faltering half way through a particularly nasty threat. His jaw hung open stupidly. Evie swallowed.

"Let's get her back."


	13. Let's Do This Thing!

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language and semi-graphic violence and sadism. Elements of torture.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: I have no idea if any of my techno-babble is remotely correct, I'm just going by what I read in books and watch in movies. Nor do I have any geographical knowledge whatsoever of Barcelona, Spain, or the buildings within it's limits. It makes sense in my head. Reviews please.

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait… Explain that again?"

Dave pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. They were all nestled around the kitchen table, trying to figure out a way to track where exactly Ian Lewis was holding Tegan. Most of the ideas were technical in nature, Dave's being the most complex. He sighed.

"We can reroute the remote transmitter, meaning the thing he's using to stream the video into the television, and track the signal back to it's computer of origin. Meaning, if we find the source of origin, we find Tegan."

"But how exactly does that work?" Balthazar sound, sounding exasperated. Dave opened his mouth to explain, but was interrupted.

"You just hook up the transmitter to the computer, crack the encryption code, hack into the main server, and send a tracer back along the network until we find what we're looking for."

Everyone stared at Evie. The eight year old sorceress stared back at them with a raised eyebrow and a cocky set to her jaw. They'd all been ignoring her for the past hour and a half, except for Veronica, who would occasionally point out that this was serious adult stuff and that she really should be in another room.

Evie didn't like being treated like a child. Every time the subject was brought up, she'd give Veronica the snottiest look she could muster. The older woman didn't seem to understand that just because she was younger than everyone else didn't mean she wasn't smarter, or at least _as_ smart. Horvath always stood up for her though, pointing out that she'd interacted with Mr. Lewis and probably knew Tegan better than anyone else there. She eventually shut up about it. Now, her jaw was gaping.

"What?" Evie asked, resisting the urge to smirk. Balthazar recovered first, turning to Dave.

"See? I understood when she explained it. Was it so hard to just say that?"

Dave glared daggers at him. Evie simply grinned, glancing in Veronica's direction. Horvath was impressed.

"How did you know that?" he asked, leaning back slightly to get a better look at his daughter. She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Mom's a hacker. That's where she gets all our money. Sometimes I'll creep up and look over her shoulder while she's doing it before she notices and tells me to leave. That, or she'll be on the phone with one of her hacker buddies and they'll talk about a job and how they'll do it. It's not really that hard to pick up on."

"I see…" Horvath said, not really seeing at all, but not wanting to seem stupid. All this new technology still boggled his mind. If some of this stuff had been invented in his day, the creator would have been burned at the stake in front of cheering villagers. Times had changed drastically, and he still wasn't sure it was for the better.

"That doesn't sound like a very legal way to make a living," Veronica stated, crossing her arms consideringly. The look Evie shot her could have peeled paint. If she noticed, she ignored it. "Does your mother know how much you've learned about this?"

Evie bristled.

"My mother still tells me she gets our money from her inheritance," she spat out. "She won't admit she's a hacker because she wants to protect me from all that." Veronica looked slightly taken aback.

"So she lies to you?"

Evie fought hard to resist the urge to get up and smackabitch. Luckily, Horvath stepped in before that became necessary.

"I fail to see how the way my daughter is raised is any concern of yours," he snarked. Veronica looked mildly affronted, opening her mouth to retort.

"Look, can we all just shut up and focus on what's important here?" Dave shouted, gesturing wildly. Veronica closed her mouth. Horvath looked slightly sheepish. Evie simply looked bored. Dave sat back in his chair, ignoring the impressed look Balthazar was giving him.

"It's like Evie said. All we have to do is trace the signal, then we've got him. He set he put a remote transmitter somewhere in the house. I'm guessing it's somewhere around the TV, mixed in with all the wiring. Do you mind if I take a look?"

The question was directed at Evie. The little girl nodded, hopping off her chair and leading him into the living room. The others got up and followed shortly after,. Watching as Dave struggled to manually push aside the massive 72" flat screen television. It was more than mildly amusing. When the snickering started, he turned back around and glared at them.

"Can I get a little help here?" he said angrily. Balthazar was in the middle of stepping forward to help when Evie waved her hand, dragging the television out from the wall with magic. While Dave nodded appreciatively and started rooting through the jumble of wire, Balthazar turned and gave her a stern look.

"Magic shouldn't be used for minor purposes," he told her, taking on his lecture tone. "It's a privilege, not be abused. Didn't your master teach you any of this?"

She raised a snarky eyebrow at him, her expression eerily similar to the one that had occasionally graced Horvath's face all those years ago.

"I'm a Morganian, you idiot," she said, holding up her hand Single ladies style and showing him the golden toad ring. "I don't _do _work. I have minions for that."

Horvath let out a snort of laughter, earning a glare from Balthazar and Veronica. The straggly-haired man returned his attention to Evie.

"You're a bit young to have decided something like that," he told her gently. Now it was Horvath's turn to glare. He ignored the larger man. "I don't even think you fully understand what it means to be a Morganian."

Evie crossed her arms and glared at me.

"Please don't preach to me, Mr. Blake. I know what I'm doing, what it means, and what it could lead to. That's the thing about you Merlinians, you're always so overly-hopeful. I hope you realize that had the tables been turned, and it was _your_ mother being held hostage and you needed _our_ assistance," she gestured to Horvath and herself, "That we probably would've just said 'tough luck' and walked away laughing. You're not my friend, you're not my father, you're not my favorite uncle. Don't make the mistake of thinking that this quest means we have a 'connection' or whatever."

Balthazar was in the process of formulating a reply when Dave made an 'aha!' noise, signaling that he'd found what he was looking for. He straightened up from behind the TV holding a small black box with several small wires running from it. He held it up triumphantly.

"Here we go! Now all we have to do is rewire it for our purposes without disrupting any of the original wiring."

"What happens if the original wiring is disrupted?" Veronica asked.

"It messes up his signal and he knows we're on to him," Evie snapped. She turned back to Dave, her expression becoming pleasant once more.

"Can you bring the thing to the computer, or shall I bring the computer to the thing?"

He stared at her for a moment, then looked down at all the jumbled wiring. He looked back up.

"Computer to the thing, please."

"Gotcha. Be right back."

She darted off down the hall, leaving the four adults all standing around awkwardly. Balthazar was trying to glance inconspicuously at Horvath, which was rather hard to do when Horvath was glaring pointedly at him. Balthazar averted his eyes. Evie came back around the hall corner, an expensive looking laptop computer in her small arms.

"Here ya go. Be really careful with it, though, it's mom's. If you break it, she won't care if you saved her life. She'll beat your skull in with it."

Dave took the laptop as though he were picking up the Queen's Crown jewels, concentrating very hard not to drop it as he set it on the coffee table in front of him. He flipped it open and clicked it on.

Horvath's breath caught in his throat as the computer started up. The background image was a photograph of a younger Tegan, hair frazzled and face exhausted, smiling down at the little bundle of flesh in her arms. Evie. The picture had obviously been taken just after she was born, her little arms stretched out in a yawn, mouth open wide. His heart twinged painfully, wishing that he could have been there. He glared hatefully at Balthazar, who was also admiring the photograph. Evie made a noise of disgust. A password lock popped up.

"Um, does anyone know the code?" Dave asked, leaning his back against the foot of the couch. They all glanced at each other.

"Try 'Evelyn'," Evie said. "It's her mom's name, too."

Dave typed it in. An error message popped up. He cursed.

"Language," said Horvath and Balthazar at the same time. They both looked at each other, eyebrows raised, then looked pointedly away like nothing had happened. Evie smirked.

"Try 'Frodo'," she said. Dave gave her a weird look. She shrugged. "Apparently it was her goldfish's name."

Horvath smirked. He remembered that fish. Dave typed it in, but the error message popped up again. They all turned to Evie, who was staring thoughtfully at the screen. She uncrossed her eyes and walked over, kneeling next to Dave.

"Scoot," she told him, turning the computer towards her. The keyboard clicked as she typed, then dinged when she hit the 'Enter' button. The computer unlocked. She grinned

"What'd you type?" Dave asked, turning the computer back to him. She avoided her eyes.

"Just something I remember her talking about a lot," she said vaguely.

Balthazar gave her a funny look, but didn't press the issue. Dave grabbed the little back box and set it on the coffee table next to the computer, making sure not to jostle any of the wires coming from it. There was an empty USB port in it, which he used to plug in a thin black cord hanging from the computer. A program popped up, which he promptly clicked on. The screen went black.

"What the-"

A series of codes popped up, filling the screen. Dave looked to Evie in confusion. She rolled her eyes and shoved him aside, taking control of the computer.

"Honestly, and you call yourself a professor…"

"How did you know I was-"

"I ran a background check on all of you last night," she explained without looking up from the screen. She typed in a few lines of text and hit enter. The screen went black again, then opened another program. She mad a series of complicated clicks as all of the adults stared at her in wonder.

The screen went black one last time, then a single line of text popped up. She copied the address, then pressed 'Escape.' The background returned to Tegan and Baby Evie. She clicked an obscure looking icon and opened a file, pasted the address into a browser, and hit 'Enter' again. She sat back and waited.

Several minutes passed, a little bar on the screen slowly filling with green.

"How did you do that?" Dave asked when the correct IP address popped up, tilting his head to the side. Evie didn't even spare him a glance, typing in a few more commands. She copied the address that came up and exited out, then went straight to Google Earth. She pasted the address and clicked 'Search.' A few seconds later, street directions popped up for a building only a few blocks away.

"Got him!" she said, a positively manic look of glee on her small face. She snapped her fingers once, then splayed her hand. Balthazar and Veronica ducked sharply to avoid the notebook and pen that were now flying towards them. They both stopped just a few inches short of Evie, then fell gently to the floor. She grabbed them and scribbled the address down, then viciously tore out the paper and thrust it at Horvath. He snatched it out of her hand and examined it.

"Your handwriting is atrocious," he commented.

"Your tie is ugly."

His eyes snapped to her, and for a moment he was sitting across from Tegan at an overpriced cowboy restaurant, sputtering at the laughter in her grey eyes. The memory shattered when Balthazar cleared his throat. Horvath looked at him.

"Do you recognize the address?" he asked Evie, his light blue eyes questioning. She nodded.

"It's only a few blocks away, at one of the old abandoned town houses. If we leave right now, we could be there in twenty minutes, walking time."

"Or we could just fly," Dave suggested. Evie looked at him like he was crazy. He smirked. "I meant on Balthazar's eagle."

"It won't fit all of us," Balthazar said, looking thoughtful.

"You take the eagle, Evie and I will teleport there," Horvath said simply. Evie gave him the same look she gave Dave, throwing in a raised eyebrow for good measure.

"Um, I don't know how to do that yet…" she said slowly. Her father rolled his eyes.

"Of course you don't. Tegan doesn't even know how, or at least I assume she doesn't. It's incredibly advanced magic. I only got the hang of it a about a few centuries ago. It's very handy, but very draining. Luckily, you can transport people and objects along with you, as long as you're touching them. I assume you don't mind holding my hand?"

Evie jokingly made a disgusted face. He smirked, then turned to Balthazar, handing him the address.

"You go first and set up a beacon when you arrive. I'll use it to zero in and we can teleport to a more precise location. Can you do that."

"In a flash," Balthazar said, grinning. For a moment, they were just two old friends, going on a crazy quest for an equally crazy cause, smiling excitedly at each other. Then reality kicked back in, and the moment was gone. Horvath's eyes darkened and he looked away. Balthazar dropped his gaze. He gestured for Dave and Veronica to follow him out to the balcony, which they did. Dave gave Evie an encouraging smile, which she returned. She liked Dave. He was goofy, but at least he didn't talk down to her.

There was loud scraping sound, then a clunk, followed by silence. Peering out the balcony windows, Evie could see the three sorcerers flying away on the back of an enormous metal eagle. She tilted her head slightly to the side, her jaw dropping a little.

"Huh…"

Horvath came to stand next to her, taking in her expression.

"He's always been a show-off like that," he told her. She looked up at him, eyebrow raised.

"You have really awful taste in woman," she said calmly. He stared at her.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Well, first that bitch," she gestured out the window, obviously meaning Veronica, "Then my nineteen year old, social outcast, nutcase of a mother… Geez. No wonder you were single for so long."

His mouth worked wordlessly as she crossed to the door, pulling her jacket off the hook and slipping it on. The fact that she was still in her pajamas didn't seem to bother her in the slightest, so he didn't mention it. He thought about taking his hat, but suddenly remembered Tegan's complaint about it, years ago, and decided against it.

They waited patiently for a few minutes, Horvath concentrating and focusing his magic on searching the city. Three minutes after the others had set out, he felt the beacon being set up, like a small tug in the middle of his chest. He opened up his eyes and turned to Evie.

"If I were any sort of decent parent, I would make you stay home," he said quietly. She looked up at him, smiling slightly.

"You should have plenty of time to become a decent parent. Right now, let's go get my other one."

He smirked at her and held out his hand, which she took. Her hand was tiny compared to his, but she still kept a strong grip. Horvath closed his eyes and concentrated with all his might. Slowly, ever so slowly, he could feel the world fading around them, turning to black. In a matter of seconds, they were blinked out of existence.


	14. Saved

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language and semi-graphic violence.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: Second to last chapter! Yes, it was rushed, but it's the best I can do. I'm no good with action scenes :P

* * *

Mr. Lewis was in the process of strikingTegan repeatedly across the face for her disrespect when he heard a loud thunk from somewhere overhead. He stopped, his hand drawn back to strike again, and looked up, listening.

Silence.

He was getting ready to swing again when there was another thunk, softer this time. He lowered his hand, took one last look at the bloody-faced woman tied to the chair, then hurried off upstairs.

* * *

Balthazar, Dave, and Veronica all took a step back as the air next to them rippled, then began to glow. The beacon faded away, replaced by the blurry figures of a tall man and a little girl. After a moment, they solidified, the mist surrounding them dissipating.

Horvath staggered slightly, leaning heavily on his walking stick for support. Veronica rushed over and reached for his arm to steady him, but her swatted her hand away, glaring at her.

"I don't need your help!" he snapped. She drew her hand back, stung. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his expression clearing.

"I haven't done that for a while," he said to himself, eyes still closed. Evie, who was still holding his hand, took a firmer grip on his arm. He gave her an annoyed look, but still nodded gratefully. After a moment, during which they were all staring at him and he had take to take several deep breaths, he straightened up. He fussed with the lapels of his jacket in an attempt to look dignified, then glanced up at the building in front of which they were standing.

"How dismal," he commented, noticing the hanging shutters and peeling paint. The others turned their attention to the building as well. 'Dismal' was a rather apt description. The place was falling apart at the seams. A large sign proclaimed in bright, bold lettering 'CONDEMNED.' It was the perfect place to keep someone you didn't want to be found.

"Shall we?" he added, gesturing with his can for them to proceed. Balthazar nodded, then closed his eyes. He focused his energy on the air around him, conjuring a solid shield. When it was stable, he opened his blue eyes, meeting Horvath's black ones. The taller man raised an eyebrow.

"Is that really necessary?" he asked, gesturing to the shield. Now it was Balthazar's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, Maxim, I didn't realize you were invincible. It doesn't matter if our opponent doesn't have magic, it still makes him a threat. Perhaps you've heard of this wonderful new device they invented a few hundred years ago, it's called a 'gun', and it-"

"Oh shut up, for once in your life," Horvath snapped, but there was next to no malice in it. Balthazar smirked.

Dave and Veronica followed his example, but Evie hesitated, looking questioning at Horvath. He sighed in exasperation and waved his hand dismissively. She grinned, closing her eyes and focusing her own energy. Eventually, they all had protective shields around them, looking for all the world like giant human bubbles. They returned their attention the dilapidated building. There had once been caution tape strewn across the front door, but now it lay in a haphazard pile on the porch. Someone had obviously been there. They approached cautiously.

* * *

Ian Lewis cursed audibly, peering out one of the upstairs windows. They'd found him. He tugged the curtains shut, quickly descending the rickety old stairs and entering the moldy living room. He grabbed his shotgun off the sofa, checking to see if both barrels were loaded.

They were.

He snuck farther down the hall, hearing them on the porch, and tucked himself into a handy little niche. He cocked the gun and aimed it at the front door, waiting for the opportune moment.

* * *

Horvath realized that Balthazar was taking control, trying to be the leader. He huffed internally. He was older, so _he_ should be in charge.

He resisted the urge to slap himself for thinking so childishly, following carefully behind as Balthazar led the way, using magic to remove the door from it's hinges. He levitated it a few feet inside the house, then gently set it down against the wall. He took a cautious step forward.

A loud boom rang out, and the shield in front of him rippled strongly. He staggered backwards, steadied by Veronica. The buckshot that exploded against it hung in the air for a moment before the shield spat it out. They both looked forward just in time for the next shot to be fired.

Balthazar dove backward, sending everyone back behind him. The shot hit the doorframe, inches from where he'd been. There was the sound of cursing, and a figure could be made out within the house, digging through a pouch of some sort, obviously trying to reload his shotgun. Dave shot a plasma bolt at him, knocking the pouch out of his hands. The figure ran back into what looked like it used to be a kitchen, disappearing for a few seconds. He came back with a machine gun.

"Cover!" Balthazar yelled, diving onto the porch and dragging Veronica with him. Dave followed their example, and the father and daughter pair followed his. A barrage of bullets ripped through the walls over their heads. Horvath grabbed Evie and pulled her against his chest, covering her head. She screamed as a bullet shot out of the wall entirely too to them close for comfort. In that moment, Horvath decided that no matter what happened, he was going to kill this Mr. Ian Lewis in the most painful, drawn out way imaginable. He had threatened his family, shot at her daughter, and kidnapped his- his… Horvath wasn't sure how to describe his relationship with Tegan, but that didn't matter. This bastard was going down.

Balthazar managed to stick his hand through the doorway and shoot out a few plasma bolts into the house. The bullets stopped abruptly, and there was a heavy clunk. Someone let out a stream of curses that were fit for a sailor, and then there was the sound of running, apparently downstairs. Horvath's eyes widened.

"He's going for Tegan!" he shouted, hauling himself to his feet. He made sure his shield was still functioning properly then rushed inside, closely followed by Balthazar and Veronica. Dave was halfway through the door when Horvath held him back.

"Take care of Evie. Don't let her get hurt. I'm counting on you, David."

He didn't have time to see the astonishment in Dave's eyes. He was already halfway down the stairs, walking stick at the ready. Balthazar was hot on his heels, already forming a plasma bolt in his hands, Veronica right behind him. They reached the bottom of the stairs and rounded the corner, halting in their tracks. Horvath's mouth went dry.

"Move and I'll bleed her like a pig," Mr. Lewis said.

He had Tegan still in the chair, turned around towards them, holding the curved blade against her throat. Beads of scarlet were forming at the tip where the knife bit into her skin. Her eyes were wide and terrified, and she was obviously hyperventilating. She stared at Horvath and nodded ever so slightly. He returned the gesture.

Before Mr. Lewis even had time to contemplate the happenings of the moment, he was slammed roughly against the back wall, his skull meeting concrete with a sickening crack. He crumpled to the ground, out cold. Horvath glanced at his still-glowing cane in satisfaction for a moment, then rushed over to Tegan. Balthazar and Veronica went to guard Lewis.

The bindings proved tricky to get off, as they absorbed magic and redirected it into a painful current, but he eventually got them undone. Tegan practically flung herself into his arms, but he didn't mind.

"Yes," she croaked out after a few moments. He pulled back and stared at her, confused. She gave him a watery smile.

"Yes, I'll marry you, you idiot."

Horvath felt his jaw drop, then tried to come up with something he possibly use as a reply to that. The only thing that really seemed to make sense was to kiss her, so he just did that. She returned it gladly.

As soon as they got upstairs, Tegan being carried by Horvath and Mr. Lewis being dragged by Balthazar and Veronica, Evie was on them like a bat out of Hell.

"Mommy!"

Tegan struggled free of Horvath's arms and crouched to meet the mass of frantic eight year old rushing towards her. They collided together, both laughing and crying at the same time, neither ever wanting to let go of the other. Dave sat bewildered against the house, having been holding Evie down by the waist so she wouldn't run off into the heart of danger and so Horvath wouldn't kill him. The dark-eyed man noticed him sitting where he was and nodded, a gesture of thanks. Dave almost fainted from shock.

There was a slight moan from behind them, causing Horvath turn around.

Mr. Lewis was waking up.

Tegan and Evie went over to sit with Dave, watching with wide eyes as Horvath faced her tormentor fully, his expression one of expertly controlled rage.

When the man blearily opened his icy blue eyes, the first thing they alighted on was Horvath's walking stick as it slashed forward, striking him across the face. His head lolled, but he was still conscious. He saw stars. Horvath slowly squatted in front of him until he was just above eye level.

Balthazar usually would have protested by now, stepped in and incarcerated the offender instead of abusing him, but he had seen this man torture an innocent young woman, threaten her and her family. Horvath could do whatever he wanted with him. He held him up a little straighter, at a better hitting angle.

Horvath reached out and grabbed Mr. Lewis's chin roughly, harshly forcing his head around. His black eyes bore into him coldly as the younger man tried to squirm out of his grasp.

"Hello there, Ian," Horvath said, his voice deceptively soft and dangerous. It sent shivers down Balthazar's spine. That tone had been used on him once, and he'd been left in a bloody heap against the courtyard wall with three broken ribs and a bloody nose. Mr. Lewis seemed to share his fear, for he was trembling slightly. Horvath smiled at him, a crocodile smile that would give small children nightmares.

"You're going to die, Ian," Horvath continued, never breaking eye contact. "Did you know that? Did you really think you could get away with all of this? Were you really that naïve? Do you even know who I _am_?"

Ian opened his mouth like he was going to reply. Horvath backhanded him across the face, so hard his head snapped to the side. Just as he'd done to Tegan. Blood dribbled out the corner of his mouth as he struggled to focus his vision. His skull had been fractured by slamming into the wall and his brain was bleeding. Black spots were beginning to cloud his vision. Horvath forced his face around again.

"I'll tell you what I'm going to do, Ian," he said, still in that deceptively soft voice. "I'm going to cut you open with your own handy little knife, from groin to gullet. Sounds painful, doesn't it? I assure that it is. After that, I am going to spill all your guts onto the floor and strangle you with your own filthy lower intestine, how does that sound to you? Doesn't that sound fun?"

"That will not be necessary, Maxim."

Horvath stood up sharply and whirled around, staring in surprise at the tall, lanky, bearded man now approaching them. Dave and Tegan began to take up offensive stances, but he waved them off. The man smiled as he drew closer, still staring at Horvath.

"It's been too long, my old friend," he said with the hint of a Russian accent. Horvath's expression didn't change.

"What are you doing here, Rasputin?"

Evie's jaw dropped. Did he just say-?

"You know well why I've come, Maxim," he said quietly, his eyes flicking behind Horvath to the cowering form of Mr. Lewis. Horvath's jaw tightened.

"Is it the Council's will that he live?" he asked coldly. Rasputin's smile turned predatory.

"Not at all, my friend. He will be dealt with properly, I assure you. We have been hunting him for a very long time now. As much as I would like to leave his fate in your capable hands, I do have orders to-"

"Since when have you ever listened to orders?" Horvath snarked, a hint of friendly warmth creeping into his voice. Rasputin smirked.

"Nonetheless, I _am_ going to need to confiscate him," he said, taking a step forward up the rotting porch steps. He was an inch or two shorter than Horvath, but no less imposing. Horvath stared him down for a moment, then resignedly stepped aside. Rasputin looked at Balthazar and Veronica for a moment, then raised a skeptical eyebrow. Balthazar hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly dropped Ian onto the porch. Veronica followed his example. The pair stepped to the side, by Evie and Tegan, watching the tall man as he worked.

Thin black ropes shot out of nowhere and bound the defenseless mortal, gagging him. He was levitated a few feet in the air, out into the street with Rasputin following closely. When he stood back in the spot he had first appeared from, he turned back to Horvath.

"Farewell, my old friend. Next time we meet, I pray it is under happier circumstances."

Horvath nodded, touching his forehead and extending his hand to Rasputin. The thin man returned the gesture, smiling slightly, then closed his eyes and gathered his energy. He teleported himself and Mr. Lewis away with surprising speed. Everyone simply stood staring at the place where he'd been, wondering what the hell had just happened.

Evie turned to look at her father.

"You're friends with _Rasputin_?"


	15. Wrapping Up

Title: Revenge Is Complicated

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language and semi-graphic violence.

Summary: Sequel to 'The Other Apprentice.' Seven years later, Tegan Callahan is back with for her boyfriend. However, she'll have some unexpected help with her. Unfortunately, someone is plotting against her. Why can't these things ever be simple?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sorcerer's Apprentice, Disney, or anything remotely associated with it. I claim ownership of only my OC's, which I love. Don't steal. The government doesn't like competition.

A/N: Okay, this is the last chapter! I'm wrapping it up nicely, so don't anybody as me to make this thing a trilogy. I'm tired of it already. I want to go back to my life. And write other stories. Thank you all for your continued support, I'm glad that I could provide entertainment. Enjoy and please review.

…**Please ignore the above Author's Note. There will be a sequel to this. I will update this chapter info as soon as I publish the final installment of….**

_**The Other Apprentice Trilogy!**_

**Amazing, I know.**

* * *

Back at Tegan's apartment, it was growing increasingly awkward with every moment that passed.

Now that their quest was complete, there was absolutely no reason whatsoever for Dave, Balthazar, and Veronica to stay there, but it felt weird to just up and fly away and pretend that nothing had happened. Also, there were a few issues to sort out.

After much prodding and reluctant silence, Horvath finally explained how on earth he knew _Rasputin_- a surprisingly dull story involving a bar and several glasses of imported vodka, with something about a ventriloquist -and what all he meant when he asked if it was 'the Council's will.'

'The Council' was reference, of course, to the Morganian Council of Elders, the people basically in charge of all important laws and involvement with Morganian affairs. They'd been after Mr. Lewis ever since the Gargoyles had lodged a complaint against him for attempted theft. He'd been involved in a number of crimes against the Council, several of them too sensitive to even be mentioned, and he was now to have a trial in the Morganian Court, where he would most likely be found guilty and executed.

This made everyone feel much better.

The first thing that Tegan had done when she gone home was shower. She said it was just because she felt gross after the four days she'd been trapped in that room, but the truth was that she wanted to get his touch off of her.

The water was almost boiling temperature when she stepped under the stream, hissing slightly as it collided with her skin, burning away all traces of the past hellish week of her life. She scrubbed furiously with the soap bar, massaged in her shampoo with much more force than was necessary. Dried blood in her scalp became rehydrated and poured down her face, adding to her fervor. Her face was still black and blue from where he'd hit her, his handprints standing out in sharp relief on her pale cheeks. She hoped she had enough concealer to cover it all.

She scrubbed and washed and re-washed until the water ran cold. She stood under it, arms wrapped around herself, holding her face under the freezing spray. It made her numb. It felt good.

When the hour mark was approaching, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. She avoided looking at the mirror as she dried off, wrapping the towel around herself. There was a hesitant knock on the door.

"Are you alright in there?" asked Horvath's muted voice. She nodded, then realized that he couldn't see her.

"Yeah," she said, the word tearing up through her dry throat. She swallowed. "I'll be out in a sec," she told him, wrapping the towel tighter around herself. It was silent for a moment, then she heard him padding down the hall back into the living room. She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

She'd agreed to marry him.

Shit.

* * *

Balthazar stood up respectfully as Tegan stepped into the living room, dressed in a black turtle-neck sweater and a pair of long pants. Her hair was still slightly damp, hanging heavily down her back. She had obviously tried to cover up the bruises on her face with makeup, but if anything it only made it worse. She looked fragile and uncertain as she walked over to the couch and sat next to Horvath, not meeting anyone's eyes. Evie came and crawled into her lap.

"Mommy?" she asked, sounding, for once, like her age. "Are you okay?"

Tegan stared at her for a long moment, then tugged her closer in a hug, burying her face in her daughters wavy hair and taking a deep breath. She shook her head,

"No, babe, I'm not okay. But I will be. Don't worry."

Her smile was only a little forced. She was just glad to be home.

She hesitantly reached over and grabbed Horvath's hand, holding it tightly. He looked a little startled, but not displeased. Her squeezed her hand back, letting her know it was alright. Balthazar had to resist the childish urge to make kissy noises at them. He settled for a knowing smirk.

Tegan let go of Evie, and the little girl hopped into the crevice between her mother and the arm of the sofa, leaning her head against Tegan's shoulder. The awkward silence resumed.

"You should go," Horvath said quietly after a long moment, directed at Balthazar, Veronica, and Dave. They all three looked at each other. Balthazar was the one who spoke.

"What about our agreement?" he asked slowly. Tegan looked at him in confusion, then turned to Horvath. He stared at Balthazar.

"Our agreement stands," he said. "You've helped us, and now you'll go unharmed and never have to hear from us again."

Balthazar stared intently at him for a long moment, and Horvath stared right back. Neither set of eyes showed any sign of compromise. Eventually, Balthazar looked away. Even after all these centuries, he was unaccustomed to seeing the malice that resided in those eyes, always searching for a hint of the old laughing glint they used to hold. He never found it.

Balthazar stood, gesturing for Veronica and Dave to follow him. He headed for the patio doors, walking around the sofa. As he passed her, Tegan reached out and grabbed his sleeve. He looked at her.

"Thank you," was all she said. His face softened and he nodded once in acknowledgment. She let go of his sleeve, her hand falling limply into her lap. Balthazar opened the patio doors and stepped out, closely followed by Dave and Veronica. Tegan smiled warmly at Dave, but didn't even spare Veronica a glance. Evie followed her example, much to Horvath's amusement.

The three Merlinians disappeared out onto the patio, shortly followed by a loud scraping sound and a thunk. There was a flash of sunlight on metal, and then they were gone.

Tegan closed her eyes, suddenly tired, and leaned her head over to rest on Horvath's shoulder. He smiled slightly and rested his head on top of hers. Evie made a noise of disgust and hopped off the couch, heading down the hall. A few seconds later, they heard the door slam.

"How do you think she'll take the news?" Horvath said, caressing the back of Tegan's hand with his thumb.

"Hmm?" she said, not moving or opening her eyes.

"That we're getting married, I mean."

Tegan stiffened slightly. She was silent for a long moment, then she slowly lifted her head and looked at him. The unsure look in her eyes wasn't particularly reassuring to him. He looked at her.

"Umm…" she said, biting the inside of her lip. He felt his stomach drop to his knees. He looked down.

"I understand," he said softly.

"What?'

"You've changed your mind."

"No! I mean- I just-"

He looked at her again, eyebrow raised. She looked anxious, her eyes wide and brown drawn together. She took his hands in hers, shifting slightly to look at him better. She took a deep breath.

"I love you," she said, staring intently into his eyes. "And I want you in my life, in Evie's life. But… I don't want to rush into something that I'll end up regretting in a year. Let's take some time to get to know each other better, for Evie to know you better and get used to the idea, then we'll talk marriage. Is that alright?"

It then occurred to him that she was worried that _he_ was going to reject _her_. He almost laughed, but decided that such a gesture could be taken in so many wrong ways that it wasn't even funny. He smiled at her, squeezing her hands slightly.

"That sounds perfect," he said. Relief flooded her face. She leaned forward and kissed him gently, her long eyelashes brushing his cheek. He deepened the kiss. She responded nicely.

After a few moments she pulled away, something akin to curiosity in her eyes.

"I have another question," she stated, sitting back and tilting her head to the side. He raised an eyebrow, wondering what on earth she could possibly want to ask him now.

"Go on then."

Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, a movement that caught Horvath's attention immediately. He swallowed reflexively. Her question, however, was not nearly as exciting as he'd hoped.

"What about Morgana?"

He stared at her, surprised.

"What about her?"

"Well, didn't you just promise Balthazar that we wouldn't-"

"No, I promised that he'd never hear from us again, as in neither you, myself, or Evie will deliberately seek out either him or Veronica for whatever purposes. I never said anything Morgana. If he made any false assumptions on the subject, then the fault lies with him."

"So we're still going to resurrect her?" she asked, looking slightly disappointed. He smirked.

"I don't think a few more years in oblivion is going to matter to her all that much, do you?"

Tegan grinned.

"I suppose not. Hmm… Now then, where were we?"

Evie was never the same when she walked out into the living room the next morning. Nor would she ever sit on the couch again.

* * *

_**Additional A/N: **…Okay, disregard whatever I may have said about not making this a trilogy, because I'm sort of in the process of doing just that. I expect to have it finished sometime in the next few months, but no promises. It's slow going. The final installment of "The Other Apprentice Trilogy" (as I have decided to refer to it) will be titled 'Like Toy Soldiers.' See? I'm making progress. Don't wait up, I'll be around._

_Ciao._

_….For now._


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